Have Courage, Elsa
by WoBuHuiXie
Summary: Elsa has lived a happier life ever since the Great Thaw, albeit one in insecurity and self-loathing. As she struggles to confront her inner demons, to make new friends, and to learn more about her kingdom, a monster motivated by revenge threatens to strip the Snow Queen of everything she had fought so hard to keep. CURRENTLY ON HIATUS.
1. Ch 1: A Bedtime Story

**I would like the thank _Frozen_ for corrupting my brain, until I decided to try my hand at writing for the Internet after years of inactivity. I would also like to thank you readers for taking your time to read this stuff.**

**Basically, _Have Courage, Elsa_ is what happens when you let a high school student run wild with the idea of a potential _Frozen_ sequel. Specifically, a teenager who can only pay attention to a book long enough if it was part of _The Dresden Files._ It will definitely show, as I try my best to channel a literal Chinese (Taiwanese?) Jim Butcher knock-off.**

**I probably just insulted his name by comparing myself to him, so forgive me if I were to disappear into the night due to mysterious circumstances.**

**All rights belong to Disney. That is what I'm supposed to say, right?**

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><p><span>Chapter 1<span>

A Bedtime Story

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><p>"Elsa! Elsa! Wake up! Papa's gonna read us a story!"<p>

"Tell him I'm too tired!"

"Elsaaaaa..." Someone tugged at the little girl, shaking her loose from her position.

"Oh all right!" Elsa opened her eyes, blinking as a brightly freckled, pudgy face staring back at her with unabashed glee. Her pigtails bounced up and down with every hyperactive hop, and she grinned at her favorite sister with tiny teeth. Little Anna had been pulling at Elsa's arm with all her might, hoping that her chubby arms could yank her big sister out of her bed. Unfortunately for the tot, she was but a small girl, and her most valiant efforts proved fruitless.

Next to Anna, a figure with broad shoulders and strong build towered over Elsa's bed, carrying a thick, heavily-mauled book. The man smiled at her, clearly amused by his younger daughter's antics.

"Hi Papa..." Elsa stretched and gave a yawn, hardly noticing that her loose hair was sticking all over the place with little dignity. An idle strand brushed past Anna's nose, prompting the little girl to sniffle and scratch at it.

"That hairstyle is hardly becoming of that of a princess, young lady." The King remarked solemnly. Then, he began to chuckle. "But I'll let this slide for once. Ready for a story, young one?"

"Huh? Oh, sure..."

The King gave another smile, and sat on the bed gently. Anna, being the toddler she was, crawled up with much less grace, struggling to lift her leg over the sheets. In the end, she required the assistance of the king's arm to finally prop her up. She bounced on the bed several times to make herself comfortable, before finally calming long enough to sit down.

"Now listen, you two," the King whispered, a mischievous glint sparkling in his eyes. They shone brightly in the light of the full moon through the bedroom window. "What I am about to tell is a scary tale, passed down from my great-great grandfather, to my great-grandfather, to my-"

"Grandfather?" Elsa flatly interjected.

"No, to my aunt. Don't interrupt." He grinned at her, though. "If you mother found out what I am about to tell you, she'll have my ears for breakfast. So, be warned, children." He leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially. "This is not just a legend, but a true story that my ancestors experienced before coming to Arendelle. Can you two guarantee that you will be able to sleep tonight after I'm done?"

"Uh-huh, uh-huh! Tell me, tell me now!" Anna said, practically bouncing off the walls with her excitement. Elsa smiled at her, but thought pensively to herself with a frown: She was already enjoying a good sleep before Anna and Papa interrupted her. If she were to lose rest over this, both would have deal with a _very_ cross Elsa in the morning. Perhaps a frostbite to their butts would suffice. "Okay."

The King's face brightened. "Alright! Here's how it goes..." He opened the book in his hand, whose pages have wrinkled and yellowed with age. Upon the sheets were runes scribbled all over, some faded and nearly illegible. Dust flew high into the air as the King flipped through the scripture, causing him to sneeze heavily and uncontrollably. His two daughters giggled at his expense.

"Ah, finally." He pointed at the beginning of a passage with a long finger. "Here it is. So, do you two know what is a Spøkelse is?"

Elsa just had to interrupt. "Come on Papa, everyone knows that ghosts do not exist!"

"Umm... Yeah! Elsa's right! They d- I mean, no, no they don't!" Anna piped.

The King raised his hands in protest. "I did not even start the story, and you two are making such a ruckus. Please dears, let me continue!" His two daughters settled down. He thought himself lucky that he was blessed with two such incredibly spirited girls, even if that meant he and his wife would have to deal with outbursts like this regularly.

The King of Arendelle cleared his throat. "So, this tale first began when your great-great grandfather Adam was but a young prince, the second son of his lineage. He once resided in the land of Ravendall, a beautiful kingdom that was famous for its expansive stretches of forests and waterfalls." He smiled at them. "The prince was fearless, strong, adventurous, and maybe just a tad foolish. You see, unlike most people, he loved to explore Ravendall's deep wilderness."

"Why would that be strange?" Elsa remarked.

"That's because the forests were very old. They have been there since Adam's ancestors first came across and settled the land, many, many centuries ago. Many secrets lie within them, hidden for ages to come." The King waggled his fingers and eyebrows to emphasize his point, prompting the little girls to giggle at him. "There have been stories of brave and foolhardy men and women walking into the forests, and never coming back. Most believed that those who entered remained lost for eternity, forever looking for a way back to civilization. Not to mention all of the monsters and creatures one could find in there, looking to capture a human to make into their meal."

"What kind of creatures?" Anna squeaked, petrified. Elsa merely rolled her eyes.

"Creatures that have little love for sunlight. Elves, denizens of the Fae, goblins, giants, and even trolls!"

"Wow... that's so many..."

"But, as I have said before, your ancestor Prince Adam was brave and strong. He would repeatedly ride into the forests with his trusty horse and sword, and come back well and unscathed. He developed a reputation for being a little loopy-" the two sisters snickered at the word, "-among the royal court, but he was a favorite among the townsfolk. Children gathered around him as he told stories of how he bravely defied death, and would even bring treasures that were clearly not created by human hands as proof. A blanket of woven moss, an axe stained with the blood of its giant owner, goblets made of gold and adorned with the most brilliant sapphires, and other such oddities. Such bounty made his kingdom very rich, and Prince Adam did not hesitate to share the wealth with his subjects."

Until then, the King had been recounting this tale with a fond smile, no doubt nostalgia for the times when he first heard these tales from his own relatives. Now, he sobered almost immediately and appeared quite grave. Elsa and Anna looked at him with confusion.

"Then, one day, he came back from his regular excursions, a changed man. He became paranoid, always afraid someone is tailing him, haunting his thoughts everywhere. Prince Adam locked himself in his room out of fear, believing that a shadow will to come to pass over the kingdom. His brother, the King of Ravendall, clearly knew something went wrong in the forests. He made a thorough investigation, asking experts in all kinds of fields to remedy his brother, who continued to ramble about the end of times.

"The day after, Prince Adam's madness proved correct. A darkness conquered the beautiful landscape and overtook the castle, spreading fear and discord within the kingdom. Thick mist hung in the air and infested the city, causing all who tried to escape to find themselves back where they first started. Trying to walk straight through the fog caused men to bump back into their fellows moments after. The skies became perpetually dark, even with the sun shone brightly. The worst part was the cold."

Elsa perked up her ears at the word.

"There was a chill that pervaded the entire town, chilling the water, killing plants and animals, even without frost or snow appearing anywhere. Soon enough, when there was nothing else to extinguish, the darkness began stripping the life of the townsfolk. They died in despair, utterly powerless against this evil force."

Elsa could hardly believe such an absurd tale. _Lightless days? Evil shadows? Ha!_

Anna, who was sitting quietly for once, was in contrast completely hooked. Her eyes were bugging out so hard, Elsa thought they were going to pop right out.

The King continued, "That was when a Noaidi, a priest of the Sami people, came in. You see, he was a very talented man. Learned in the ways of trolls, he entered the kingdom, unperturbed by the mystic fog, darkness, and cold, and demanded the presence of the King. What other choice did the ruler have? He let the Noaidi in his castle.

"What the priest told the King was astounding. The source of the misfortune was the cause of a dark spirit whoangry with its own life, and lashed out at others in death. It was attracted to the joy spread by Prince Adam, for people can only succumb more to despair if they experienced great happiness first.

The solution to the plague wrought upon Ravendall was awful; the king must banish his brother, Prince Adam, from the kingdom, into the forests of Ravendall, so the spirit could leave his people alone and follow Adam back into the woods. The Prince should be fortunate, the Noaidi reasoned to the older brother, as his knowledge of the grounds were expansive, and could easily lose the spirit, trapping it in the haunted forests once more.

"With a heavy heart, the king sent his beloved brother away with the Noaidi, armed with only his sword, horse, and a couple days of provisions. There were many tears shed, as the brothers knew Adam could never come back unless he risked the spirit's return. The two men left the fog, never to see the King again. After what seemed like forever, the darkness faded, the mist disappeared, and light shined upon Ravendall once more.

"You would have to thank your ancestor for his fortune. The Noaidi's plan worked, and Adam was rid of the spirit's presence. He gained peace of mind, and eventually found home in a small village, which quickly grew into a rich kingdom with his advice and leadership. That kingdom, as you may have probably guessed, was Arendelle.

"Some say, however, that the Spøkelse is still in the forest, forever trying to find the Prince who cheated it out of its prize."

With that finally said, the King closed the book. "That's enough for tonight," he said. "I hope you enjoyed that little tale I told you."

"I loved it! I really really did!" Anna squealed. She made swings with an imaginary sword, flailing her legs and pigtails back and forth wildly, before slipping on the sheets and falling bodily onto the bed. "I hope I grow up to be brave, just like Adam! Don't you Elsa?"

"Huh, me? I-I think that being brave is great too!" Elsa frowned. "But, is it true that the King and Adam never saw each other again?"

Her father gave a sad smile. "Yes, that is unfortunately the truth..."

"I hope that never happens with me and Anna..." Elsa looked at her baby sister, whom she was not surprised to see already tucked (and in the wrong bed, mind you) next to Elsa and passed out. Elsa stroked Anna's hair with a cool hand.

The King smiled. "I have little reason to think that situation will happen anytime soon... Goodnight, my children."

"Goodnight Papa."

Her father closed the door. Elsa turned her head to the window, briefly entertaining the thought of being a hero, riding on a horse with sword raised high. She would never had let anyone die, she thought, and would never be separated from her sister, who, typical of her, began to snore and drool on Elsa's pillow. Elsa, slightly grossed out but amused, drifted into a restful sleep.

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><p><strong><strong>Look, even if you don't review regularly, drop some comments. I want to know how can I improve, and the resulting headache of writing a story (which I am suffering right now) will alleviate with some acknowledgement. It's selfish of me, but I want to know.<strong>**

****Also, for those who are interested, I go by the name of cheffailure on Tumblr. I'll post updates on my progress, as well as answer any questions you may have on the story.****

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen._**


	2. Ch 2: Today's the Day

**So anyway, still loving _Frozen_, I believe you guys are still loving it too, or else you wouldn't be reading this, no?**

**All rights belong to Disney, as usual.**

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><p><span>Chapter 2<span>

Today's the Day

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><p><em>Beginning of Day One<em>

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><p>"Elsa! Elsa! Wake up! The sun's awake!"<p>

"Yeah Elsa! Today's the big day!"

"It's too early in the morning!"

"Elsaaaaa..."

"Fine!"

Elsa opened her eyes, and nearly choked in shock. A giant, brilliantly orange carrot was pointed at her, followed by a misshapen white face. It stared at her with the widest grin anything can possess, with fat flakes of snow dancing in the air around it. In alarmed surprise, Elsa pushed herself out of her bed quickly as possible, only to have her head crash into something hard and sharp. The Snow Queen's vision flashed white in pain, and she fell back onto her mattress in heap, feeling around for what will surely become a new bump on her skull.

"Ow! Owowow... Talk about a wake-up alarm... Oh, Elsa! You're not hurt, are you?"

Elsa raised her throbbing head at the voice's source. A young woman had been looking at her, her bright blue eyes full of warmth, even as she was rubbing her chin in pain. Her little pigtails have grown into two copper braided locks that fell down her shoulders, and the girl's once pudgy, freckled face developed into that of a joyous lady, one who loved all and deserved to be loved.

"A-Anna?"

The redhead's face brightened, and she tilted her head in curiosity. "Hm? Me? You are talking about me, and not some other Anna in this room, right?"

"W-What are you doing here? How did you get into my room?" In any other circumstance, Elsa would have been shouting in fear. She would have panicked, scrambling to stay as far away from Anna as the walls surrounding her could permit.

But, out of sheer dumb luck for Anna, Elsa was just so _tired,_ she couldn't be bothered to flee. She didn't even try remembering why she and her baby sister must be separated in the first place.

Instead, Elsa chose to point at the creature standing besides Anna, whose existence must be addressed first. "What is that thing there?..." she asked tiredly. Upon closer inspection, the creature was a snowman, one that was somehow carried into her room. A cloud drifted above its head, producing a flurry of snow that fell lazily without ever actually touching the ground. The snowman possessed a rather nostalgic air to it, one of happier times long past.

Both the small figure and the girl glanced at each other, their smiles faltering.

"Elsa..." Anna asked tentatively. "Are you okay?"

Something clicked in Elsa's exhausted mind, allowing her to form coherent thoughts again. "You've grown."

"Pfft. Well, yeah! Of course I would have grown! I could have sworn that when I was with Kristoff yesterday, I was able to meet eye-to-eye with his nose! Or would that be eye-to-nose? And maaaayyyybe I was standing on my tippy toes..."

"Anna, I'm sorry."

"I even think he was- wait, what? What do you have to be sorry about?"

"It was just a dream, that's all." Elsa seated herself on her bed. As she grew older, Elsa never permitted her platinum hair to go wild, even in sleep. Rather than sticking in all directions as they had when she was younger, the strands fell down her shoulders and back with the utmost grace of a queen's. "I'm still getting used to the Open Door Policy." Elsa peered at Anna and the snowman, her eyelids still gritty and heavy. "Ah, you're Olaf. Did you two sleep well last night?"

Anna's previously crestfallen features turned into a cheerfulness so alarmingly fast, Elsa's weary mind threatened to black out. "I should say the same to you! You must have slept really well, considering you were in bed since, like, 8 o'clock last night-"

"-And you did not come down for breakfast this morning!" Olaf added.

"Oh. I'm sorry to have bothered you two, then."

"No! It's no bother for either of us at all!" Anna and Olaf protested. "But..." Anna continued, slightly sheepish. "You might wanna get something in your system right now. It's 11 in the morning, and I really, really don't want you to pass out today when you head outside..."

"Outside... Wait, outside? Outside for what?"

"Wow, you must have been sleeping REALLY heavily. Not that that's a bad thing, I don't think... Or is it? Maybe if there was a fire, and you couldn't wake up-"

"Anna. You're rambling. What's going on?

"Well, today's your first Royal Visit! You're heading to town in, uh... 30 minutes!"

In eighteen years, Anna had never seen Elsa jump out of her bed. In eighteen, long-awaited years, Anna had never seen Elsa besides the pinnacle of dignity and sophistication. Always moving with grace unattainable to her sister, always as cool and collected as a tranquil night.

Today, Anna was fortunate to have bore witness to the wondrous, valuable sight of Elsa in a state of wild unrest. The Queen literally flew from her mattress, scattering bed sheets everywhere, completely under-dressed, jabbering incoherent words, and hyperventilating. She fell to her knees on the floor, and bounced back up, pacing back and forth in rapid succession, spreading small snowflakes everywhere, before zooming out of the door. A thin trail of frost followed behind her.

"Wait, where are you going!" Olaf cried, twiggy arms outstretched. He faced Anna, saying, "I'm going to check out what's happening."

He waddled towards the doorway, spreading snow everywhere, and peeked out. He grinned. "Oh hey, I was just talking about yo-"

An inadvertent kick by the Queen rushing back into her bedroom beheaded the poor snowman, sending his carrot-adorned, smiling face sailing through the hallways. The body raised a hand to feel for the spot where Olaf's head had originally rested on.

"Oh no! Olaf, I'm so sorry!" Elsa exclaimed.

"No problem Elsa," his voice echoed through the halls. "That was a lotta fun! Now, c'mere, body..." The headless body waddled out of the doorway, into the hallway. Naturally, it walked to the opposite direction of where its head flew. "Nonono! Come back!" Olaf cried.

Elsa rushed over and quickly grabbed the walking snowman, turning it towards the right direction. It gave her a thumbs up in response.

"Thanks Elsa! I'll see you at the gates, guys!"

Elsa entered her bedroom and sat in front of her dresser, face flushed and still breathing rather rapidly. Anna, who had standing in the same spot since Elsa's little panic episode, stared at her with wide eyes in astonishment.

Elsa giggled nervously, her eyes shifting everywhere. Her hands lied on the table, trembling. "C-can you help me with my hair, Anna? I don't think I can concentrate very well..."

Anna pointed at herself, still stunned. "Me? You are talking about me, right? Of course you are talking about me." She stood behind Elsa, braiding the Queen's hair. "You do not seem to be yourself, sis."

Elsa sighed. "No, I'm not." She gave her beloved baby sister a wistful look through the mirror, admiring the positive energy Anna always seemed to carry around with her. "I'm such a coward. You can tell I am scared, right?"

"Scared?" Anna was confused. "Why would you be scared? It's just a required visit to town, to see how everyone is doing. Me, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven do it all the time! Except, well, they weren't really required and all-"

"Yes, but there will be so many people there! I-I don't think I can bear the sight of seeing them all. Oh, they are probably still afraid of me..."

"What about that ice rink you made for everyone two or three weeks ago? It was such a beautiful act that you did! Everyone was happy, especially you!"

Elsa forced herself a pained smile in response. "I was just happy I was able to do everyone a favor, and give you what you deserved for once." She thought of fearful eyes all around in the darkness, throwing her accusing looks for the pain and cold she had made them suffer, invading her conscience. She shook her head, sighing. "I'm still not good with people."

Anna felt a chill beneath her feet. A thick coat of white frost had been emanating down Elsa's seat, and spreading onto the carpet floor. Snow began falling, without any apparent source to produce it.

"Elsa?" She finished the braiding.

Y-yes?" Elsa swallowed hard. She looked at the mirror, pulling her braid over her shoulder. The resulting hair was not unlike what she wore as the Snow Queen.

"Just look at the mirror... Look at yourself. Do you see how beautiful you are? How much courage and love you possess?" Anna laid her hands on her sister's cold, pale shoulders. She could feel Elsa's body shiver and tense up. "You gave me everything that I could have ever wished for. You opened the door, and let me in, for the first time in thirteen years. You are not a coward. You are the best sister I could ever have, and don't you forget it."

The snow slowed to a stop, hanging in the air as if by invisible strings. A long minute passed in a slow crawl, serving only to highlight the tension that filled the room. Then, the frost lifted itself off the floor, clinging to the edge of Elsa's clothes. Ice crept inwards, towards her center, transforming her sleepwear into an elegant dress, lined with extra ice to form rosemåling patterns. Enchanted cloth woven from snow rested onto her neck like a high collar, fanning out into a glittering cape. The hanging snowflakes fixed themselves into Elsa's platinum blonde hair, letting the sunlight dance even more from her head.

"Anna..."

"Yes?"

"I'm fine now. Thank you." She plucked a lipstick from her dresser. "I'll meet you at the gates soon. Don't worry about me."

Anna grinned. "I knew you could do it. Do you want some tea before you go?"

Elsa smiled back at her. "Yes, that sounds wonderful."

"Okay! Great!" Anna's hands sunk further down Elsa's shoulders before wrapping around into a hug from behind. She wanted to convey her love and pride for her sister, who has been through so much, and progressed so well. Elsa reacted with a shiver of surprise. Her skin was cool to the touch.

After a short while, Anna let go of her sister, and dashed out of the door. Before it closed, she poked her head back in. "Um, bye!" She waved her hand at Elsa before disappearing once more.

Elsa waved back, and returned to her make-up. The woman in the mirror stared hard at her with accusation.

_You cheated, Elsa. You have been looking at Anna the entire time._

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><p><em>6 hours ago...<em>

A lone, stout figure stood on a hilltop overlooking a huge forest, one so massive it stretched for miles, expanding into the horizon and meeting with the starry sky. The creature held a crooked staff made of aged wood, decorated with large crystals that glowed and hummed with power. His mane of wild hair bristled in the night breeze. Despite his comically large nose, his wizened, stern eyes, furrowed eyebrows, and tightened mouth formed a face that was intensely grave.

A small, rounded stone, covered in moss, rolled up the hill and came to a stop next to the creature, before turning into another figure similar in build.

"What is it, Grand Pabbie?"

"The Spøkelse of Ravendall. It has found its way through the Lost Woods."

"Oh, oh no. It'll be heading for Arrendelle! We have to warn the kingdom! Tell them to run!"

"That would have been the correct choice, generations ago. Unfortunately, it has grown too strong to be subdued forever. It will plague other lands, forever chasing the work of Adam the Adventurer. The threat has to be annhilated."

"But we can't possibly do that! We aren't human!"

"We can't, I agree. But, _they_ can." Grand Pabbie turned to the younger troll. "Have Helge send word to the Queen and the princess, tell them to find their Father's book! Quickly!"

The troll began to scamper, but he stopped himself. He looked at Grand Pabbie in confusion. "But, what will you do, Pabbie?"

The old Troll King tightened his grip on the staff. "It is much too strong for me to stop it now. The best I can do is to slow it down, until the Queen is ready." He brandished his staff, waving it at different angles, and muttered ancient runes of power. _How long has it been since I had to use this,_ he thought. _How many centuries ago was it..._ The air shivered in response to his incantations, and a golden light pulsed from the yellow crystals fixed in the troll's staff. It washed over the forest, causing the leaves to stir and rattle as if by a strong wind.

_Elsa, do you still doubt yourself? Do you still believe yourself to be alone and powerless to help anyone, even with all the gifts that have been given to you?_

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><p><strong>Like I said, please, please leave a review. I want to read feedback, no matter how sickeningly sweet or bitter! For example, are my characters acting out-of-character? <strong>**Give it to me, or else I might not be able to improve my writing. **

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen._**


	3. Ch 3: An Open Door

**I'd like to celebrate the fact that _Frozen _won the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature, the first of the Disney Animated Canon films to have done so, as well as breaking more than $700 million in the box office. Without even reaching China yet. Seriously, that is quite the feat.**

**Again, I cannot thank you guys enough for taking your time to read this story.**

**As usual, all rights to _Frozen_ belong to Disney, along with many, many other things. I'm looking at you, you freaking giant entertainment empire!**

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><p><span>Chapter 3<span>

An Open Door

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><p>"Tea, Your Majesty. Courtesy of your sister." The plump man bowed to the Queen without spilling a single drop from the cup he held.<p>

"Thank you, Kai."

Elsa was at ease around one of her most loyal staff. He had served his masters as far back as she could remember, working as both butler and messenger for the Royal Family. Kai was so integral in running the Palace service efficiently for years, he became one of the few men trusted enough to continue providing support, as well as stability, during Elsa's thirteen years of isolation.

Elsa took the ornate, steaming cup and saucer from Kai, and sipped gently. She felt the tea's heavenly aroma fully occupying her sense of smell, as vibrantly fragrant as the exotic palace flowers, and the tea's warmth spreading throughout her entire body, a delicious, tingly sensation. It began in her core, and laced its way to the tips of her fingers and toes.

In her pleasure, all the Snow Queen could say to the servant was, "Kai, this tea is amazing..."

In truth, she wished to express her full bliss to him with more than a simple, but an issue tugged at the back of her mind with the persistence of a pest. Elsa's gaze wandered around the Grand Hall as she finished the rest from her cup, and her dark eyebrows, contrasting against her nigh-white hair, furrowed. Neither Anna nor Olaf were anywhere to be seen, and she was expected to be in town for a meal in ten minutes. "Where are those two? I thought they would be here waiting for me."

"Ah yes, the princess and Your Majesty's snowman. They had... urgent matters at hand, and will be unable to attend the Royal Visit with you."

"What!?" Elsa couldn't believe what Kai had announced. She began to feel an itch crawl up her back, powerful and irritating. That is not even mentioning her hands. She dug her nails into them, and realized that there were no gloves to cover her dangerous skin. Her breath shortened, and lightheadedness threatened to topple her over. The air dropped a few degrees in temperature.

Kai, thanks to years of servitude under the most turbulent family in living memory, maintained his composure in front of the now-frenzied Queen. Nevertheless, he understood Elsa's reaction, and planned ahead. He dug around his pockets, and procured a crumpled piece of paper for her to see. "I have a note written by them before they left."

The note was hardly larger than a playing card, and was covered hastily written scribbles. Kai peered at it, and cleared his throat, loud enough to capture Elsa's attention. With the most deadpan expression he could deliver, he read, "'Gone fishing.'"

A frantic Elsa stared at him with befuddled eyes. "H-huh?"

"Ah. Wrong part, didn't realize it was crossed out..."

Elsa was at a loss for words.

"'Super-special da-' No, this one too... 'Kristoff and I-' ...How risqué. Here it is." He cleared his throat once more. "'Queen Elsa, Olaf and I will not be able to attend the Royal Visit with you today, because I have some really, really serious... stuff. Yeah, that's right, stuff that I gotta do with Kristoff. Me and Olaf and Kristoff and Sven. Together. Immediately. I will not be able to see you, find you, contact you, talk to you, or possibly rescue you from the masses until I am done with this urgent-" He squinted his eyes. "-thing. Things. Signed by Princess Anna of Arrendelle.'"

Kai folded the note neatly, and promptly slipped the piece of paper back inside his pockets. "She always did write as she thinks." he sighed. "I can't say that her handwriting has done much to improve my eyesight. Also, you would have thought she could spell her own kingdom's name without two 'r's' by now..."

Elsa was not paying much attention. Instead, she was pacing back and forth, running her hands over her hair in frustration, causing errant strands of platinum to fly free. _Curse you, Anna! Running off with Kristoff when I needed you the most! You're certainly going to have fun and easy without me, whatever you are doing, while I am forced to deal with this nightmare of a situation... Stupid Anna... _Elsa's train of thought came to an abrupt halt, and she choked. She was being angry. Jealous. _Oh no, Anna! What was I thinking!? I owe Kristoff so much for helping my sister! For protecting her because I couldn't..._

_For being there because I wasn't._

Elsa, being who she was, could not sweat. Instead, she left dancing snowflakes in her wake. She suddenly came to a stop inside the hall, holding herself, isolated from the rest of the world. She felt very much like her Coronation was coming once more, full of loneliness and dreadful anticipation. Not even Olaf or Sven was here to save her. "How selfish can I be? What am I going to do?" she muttered to herself, rubbing her hands.

_Where could my gloves be? _

She was no longer an adult, but a young, terrified little girl again. Elsa could imagine all of the eyes that will be staring at her, harsh and piercing. There will be no one to help her ignore them. "W-What happens if this all goes horribly wrong?" she stammered to herself. "What if I plunge the kingdom into eternal winter again? I'll be a danger to Arendelle! My people will hate me e-even more! They'll chase me out! How ca-

"Elsa."

The Queen's head whipped around to face Kai. The squat, balding man had been standing in the same spot since her loss of control. His voice came out, strong and authoritative. "It is unbecoming of a queen to be afraid of her own people." His stern face broke into an expression full of sympathy for her. "Especially for someone with as much capability for boldness as you." Kai lifted the Queen's hands, ignoring her shocked gasp, and placed them lightly within his own. Elsa could feel the heat from his callused palms. "I have the utmost confidence that you will succeed and cherish this day, and that I speak for many of us." His brown eyes locked onto Elsa's bright blue, making sure she heard every word he said. He proceeded to gently brush her shoulders. "You're getting snow everywhere."

Elsa's eyes widened in surprise. She looked around, realizing that not only were there piles of snow littering the Grand Hall, tracing her nerve-induced pathways, but the floor was covered in a thick coat of ice.

"Oh no! I'm very, very sorry for troubling you, Kai..."

"Not at all. I am happy to serve under the Queen, Your Majesty." He bowed, long and low. "I understand the difficulty posed for you, but listen; You have nothing to fear_._ Now go on and have fun."

Elsa could not help but feel touched by his sentiment. "Thank you." She considered her next words before speaking them aloud. "If Anna and the others return before me, tell them that I will be home soon." The sentence tasted strange in her mouth. Kai's raised eyebrows further confirmed the strangeness of such a statement, considering it was _Elsa,_ the introverted shut-in extraordinaire, who said it.

The Snow Queen walked to the tall, dark and imposing castle doors leading into the courtyard. She paused directly in front of them. Less than three weeks before, she had bolted out in the night, desperate to run as far away from her kingdom as possible. Now, she's attempting to do the exact opposite. She prevented herself just as she began admiring the grain of the wood used to make the doors, and glanced besides her. Kai was looking back with concerned eyes, waiting patiently for the Queen's next move. Giving in to the inevitable, Elsa closed her eyes, breathed twice through her nose, inhaling and exhaling.

_There is nothing to fear._

Half a minute passed, and Elsa open her eyes, ready. She pushed the doors open. Summer sunlight shot through the opening, a thousand times brighter than any candle or lantern within the palace, briefly paining her eyes. She could smell the fresh air, full of scents that mixed together until they were unidentifiable. The summer breeze brushed past her face, and lifted her cape gently. Trees made of ice and the castle's rooftops glittered and sparkled like fire, remnants of the celebration not so long ago. She could hear the fountains gurgling with water, seagulls chirping with cacophony, and the sound of ship bells coming from the around the fjord. Even in all of this din, she could hear the chatter, hoots, and calls from Arendelle's marketplace. In the palace gates beyond, left opened due to the Open Door Policy, she could see the stone bridge leading into town. Embracing the shining sun's light and warmth, she walked down the courtyard, admiring the different sensations.

"Queen Elsa!"

The Queen turned around. Kai was calling from the castle doors. "That was a wonderful thing you did with the courtyard almost three weeks ago! I hope you can hold another event like that soon!"

Elsa's face flushed at his compliment, and experienced heat different from the sun. As she waved to the portly man, it suddenly occurred to her that, until the disastrous Coronation, Kai, Gerda, and the other servants were the closest people she had to friends. They cooked and cared for her without question, and did much to alleviate some of her years of loneliness. Kai himself was always the one to remove furniture and carpets inevitably damaged by ice, taking advantage of his build to require as little assistance, and consequently as little questions, as possible. The day her parents... left for that wedding, Kai took extra time replacing the largest, most difficult to replace effects just so he couldn't leave Elsa alone in her mourning.

She thought of their assistance and hard work over the years, their care and concern, and a wave of love and gratitude for them washed over her.

From behind one of the sparkling fountains, two pairs of eyes peeked out, one blue, the other brown. They followed Elsa out of the castle gates, where a couple of Royal Guards saluted to her, and disappeared once she was out of sight.

* * *

><p>Kai closed he doors and smiled to himself. <em>Mission accomplished<em>. Queen Elsa forgot to defrost the hall before she left, but at least he performed his duty in assisting both the ruler and the Princess. He had no idea what Anna could be up to, but it is most likely harmless, considering her deep love for Queen Elsa.

_These two... Looks like I still have many years of duty ahead of me. _He chuckled, not bothered at all by this thought. _Your parents would be so proud. _Kai tugged at his sleeves, ready for what will surely be a hard day's labor at scraping the frost away before anyone could carelessly slip and break a skull. It was to his great surprise when he turned around, and discovered that the ice vanished.

* * *

><p><em>4 hours ago...<em>

"Grunt" "Snork"

"Hey, hey, what's up with you, buddy?"

Sven gave another impatient snort. _Get up, lazybones._

Kristoff had always understood whatever Sven tries to get across, even doing voice-overs for his best friend when he was feeling particularly empathetic. Groggy as he was from just waking up, however, he was in no mood to shift the required mental gears.

He heard the familiar whinnies of neighboring horses. He opened his eyes, and remembered he wasn't homeless; he was taken in by the royal sisters weeks ago. His clothes, which originally had been freshened and clean for the first time in months, was littered with musty hay.

"Uh, why am I in the stables?"

A reindeer gave him a deadpan look.

"Right, I was taking a break from yesterday's adventure. And then I fell asleep on this... yeesh, this stuff is filthy." He stood up, sending strands of hay everywhere. His eyes adjusted to the morning sun, which shined cheerily in spite of Kristoff's dour mood. "I swear, that girl will shorten my lifespan by a few years with all of the running around and the hustling..."

"But you still love Anna, no? And that is all that matters, yes?"

Kristoff sighed. "As usual, you are correct."

"Then, what's your issue?"

He scratched at his head, sending more pieces of hay falling down. "It's not like I can't catch up with her, of course I can! It's just that Anna occasionally forgets that not everyone is like her. I just have a slight-" Kristoff paused. He looked cautiously at the reindeer, who looked back at him in slight confusion. "Sven..." Kristoff said, suspicious. "I wasn't voicing you. You didn't suddenly develop the capability to perform human speech, did you?"

The reindeer tilted his head. _Who, me?_

"Ahem."

Kristoff looked down, around, behind, and found something standing at the corner of the royal stables. Anyone else would have thought someone placed a lumpy, moss-covered, misshapen statue as a bizarre practical joke. But Kristoff, raised by them for much of his childhood, immediately recognized what it was.

"Helge! It's good to see you again!" Kristoff laughed, and bent over and gave the troll a hug, no easy feat given the vast height differences. The small creature did the same, albeit a little stiffly. The troll's necklace, made of blue glowing crystals and a single yellow one, jangled. "You must have been really pushing yourself, staying mobile in the morning! How's Bulda?"

"Please, this is nothing to me. And Bulda's in great shape. She had been rolling plans around for the next time you visit us with your girlfriend."

Kristof's cheeks turned pink. "Oh, that? Well, we're still tak-"

"-Kristoff." Helge interrupted. His face hardened into concern for the young man. "I'm worried for you."

"Wait, what?"

"If that's truly what you feel, if you two really do love each other, then you and Anna should have agreed to sleep the same bedroom earlier, instead of having you stay in this pitiful straw bed."

Kristoff sputtered.

"Now now," Helge continued, his chest rising as he began to inhale. As per troll tradition, he was going to burst into some melodic, long-winded tirade about love. as only love experts should be expected to do.

In a bout of luck that reaffirmed Kristoff of the existence of an higher, loving power, Olaf's head tumbled into the stables, a miniature snow flurry chasing it. The head came to a stop, face-down, right in front of the two. It peeked at both of them, and squealed an exclamation of delight. "Oh look, Kristoff's family is here!"

"Kristoff's family?" A voice replied. "But I don't remember Kristoff ever mentioning his relatives, or anything about-" A young woman, carrying a large sack in one hand, and leading a headless snowman by the wooden arm in the other, walked into the stables. Her twin plaits ran down her shoulders, and she was so freckled, it gave her a permanent faux blush. The lady spotted Helge. "...siblings."

Kristoff just drank in her presence, a goofy smile spreading unconsciously across his face. Any grievances he had about Anna faded away, replaced by warm love and affection. She smiled back at him, opening the sack to reveal carrots, and bent over to pick up Olaf's head. Upon having its head restored to its original position, the snowman turned away to spit hay from its mouth.

Anna knelt down on one knee to greet the troll. "Hey there little guy, what's your name?"

"It is an honor to be in your presence, Princess Anna." Helge gave a bow. "My name is Helge, and I hail from the Valley of the Living Rock. For the last five years, I have been under Grand Pabbie's tutelage to become the next shaman."

Olaf lifted his head in amazement. "Wow, that's incredibly long! Like, a hundred times longer than my age!" Kristoff chuckled, knowing that Olaf has no idea what he was talking about. "How much time will it take for you to become shaman? Helga's a weird name for a male, by the way. Maybe it's different for trolls?..."

The troll, evidently not catching onto the last comment, gave a crooked smile. "It will take about an age." He shook his head. "But enough about me, I have not come here for a simple family reunion. Grand Pabbie sent me." Kristoff looked at the troll in surprise. Helge regarded Anna seriously. "Anna, Is Elsa with you?"

"Uh. No! She's still asleep."

"How is she doing?"

"I think she is doing great! She has a busy schedule, but she always finish early to make time for us! She's always so quiet, but I've never seen her happier. Then again, I haven't ever seen her much until recently."

"What about her powers? How are they progressing?"

"Oh, she would occasionally freeze a rug or two. I think it's mostly because she thinks too hard, and it's not like she shoots ice by accident. Besides, we always fix it quickly in the end!"

The troll sounded cautious. "'We.'"

"Yes..." Anna drew the answer out, confused. "'We.' I'm always there to help Elsa out of her funk! It's the least I can do for my sister."

"How often are these... 'funks?'"

"Pfft, I don't know, it's not like I'm counting." Anna sounded a little defensive, perhaps for both herself and her big sister.

Olaf raised his hand high. "Oh, oh! I counted, Helga. Maybe its once or twice a day, or something..."

Helge, still not hearing the misnomer, pursed his lips. "She can mange her releases," he muttered, "but not the freq-" He noticed everyone staring, perplexed. "Listen, I do not want to stir panic this early, but you all will need Elsa's powers very, very soon. You, Kristoff, Sven, the townsfolk, the surrounding kingdoms and countries-"

"Wait, what?"

"Pabbie and I have a plan to help, though! There are three days until it comes. I'll explain it tonight, but for now, we make haste." The troll's feet started to lose what little color it had. He tried to move them, shifting his weight, but they remained fixed to the wooden floor. The desaturation crawled up to his knees, and he sighed in exasperation. "My record was up to noon..." Anna and Olaf gasped in shock, worried for the little troll. Kristoff merely shared a look of with Sven. Both were accustomed to troll behavior and habits. Besides, he trusted his adoptive family, including Helge. "What can we do to help?"

"You and Kristoff should be fine, but apparently Elsa still have much progress on managing herself- DON'T interrupt, please." he added to a suddenly very affront Anna. She pouted and crossed her arms. Kristoff could just see the steam rising from her strawberry-blonde hair. "She had probably learned and gained enough from Anna as it is. It's about time she puts it to use." He strained to faced them directly, wincing. "I assume the Royal Visit is today?"

Anna had her mouth shut tightly, which was a first. Kristoff was the one who responded. "Uh... yes."

"She's gonna bond with her people?"

"Well, obviously. Isn't that what Royal Visits are for?"

"Give her as much time to get up as possible, so she won't think too much before the event."

"Okay..."

And don't attend it with her-"

Anna, forgetting she was supposed to be silent, exploded incredulously. "WHAT!?"

"Just follow her, make sure she is safe..."

"I'm going to miss my sister's first Royal Visit!?" In her rage, she was being very un-Anna-like. Helge was not doing much to ease her temper, only shifting and curling into a ball. "Over my dead body you... y-you... you troll!" she shrieked, pointing a finger. The said troll didn't budge.

"It's no use, Anna. He's held out long enough in the sunlight as it is." Kristoff couldn't help but smirk as he walked over to settle her down. He fished a carrot out of the bag. "Helge really outdid himself this time. I remembered like it was only yesterday when he gave up after only 4 minutes into the morning light. Oh man, the fire crystals he lost in that bet..." He offered the carrot to Sven, who happily took a big crunch, and offered the rest to Anna. Anna grimaced slightly at the reindeer drool glistening in the sun, and shook her head.

"Do we really have to listen to this guy? 'Don't attend it with her'?" She sounded insecure, and shot a dirty look at the round stone, which, despite its lack of anything that can be related to expressions, she could have sworn appeared smug.

"Yeah," said Olaf, mirroring Anna as best he could. At least, he gets points for trying, anyway. "We can't just leave Elsa alone, she's so nice! She needs us." He waddled over to pet Sven on the muzzle. "Must we do what Helga said?"

"Technically, no." Kristoff took a bite of the carrot. "But I trust in Helge's and Pabbie's judgment. We do take up much of Elsa's focus, after all." He paused to mull over his words. "Speaking as a bit of a loner myself, I don't think Elsa would have wanted to be with anyone else when we are around. Maybe your sister can make friends besides us for a change."

"Friends. right..."

Olaf giggled. "Elsa can make more new friends? Anna!" Eyes wide, he tugged at the hem of her dress. "Let's try listening to Helga."

Kristoff rolled his eyes at the happy-go-lucky snowman, and returned his attention to Anna. "I know you have your doubts about what Helge has in mind, and I can understand any that still remains. But Grand Pabbie wouldn't send a troll beyond the Valley, not even one like Helge, without it being really, really serious. Do you believe in your sister?"

Anna sniffed. "Of course I do!"

"Then this Royal Visit should go over without a hassle. Let's take a seat back. If it gets too heavy for Elsa, we pop in, rescue her, no harm done, and we get Helge to spill the beans."

Anna frowned, and thought long and hard before reluctantly agreeing. "Okay..."

Olaf could hardly maintain his excitement. "Fantastic! Let's get real sneaky, and spy on Elsa as she connects with some strangers! Still a weird name for a boy troll, by the way, Helga..."

Anna shook her head at Olaf. "I don't think you should come with us. The whole kingdom knows you, and you'll attract too much attention."

Olaf look deflated, but picked himself up almost immediately. "Then, I'll go find the servants! I'll get them to agree to the plan!"

"That's brilliant, Olaf!"

"Thanks Anna! Wish me luck!" Olaf ran off with vigor and speed, spreading snow everywhere, ready to search for one of the head servants.

Kristoff clasped his hands together. "Great. Sven, keep an eye on Helge."

The reindeer pulled his head out of the sack of carrots.

"Hide him with you, make sure no one tries to remove him."

The reindeer grunted in reply, sounding bored. Anna rubbed his fur assuredly. She was learning from Kristoff on how to interpret Reindeer. "Aw, don't be upset, Sven! We'll get you something special in town while we watch over Elsa."

"Anna. Focus." Kristoff rubbed his forehead tiredly, already predicting the day's events. "Let me list off what _we_ are going to do: For reasons we could hardly understand but follow out of blind trust, we are going to have your sister late for her own Royal Visit. Next, we abandon her at the door. Then, we stalk Elsa, the Queen of Ice and Snow, for an entire day, watch as she twists in the wind, making sure nobody starts panicking, and hoping with all our might that she won't find us and freeze us to a wall for days for not letting her in on this half-baked idea! We are _definitely_ bound to survive in one piece."

Anna raised an eyebrow at her boyfriend. "Wow... What happened to your support for the trolls? You really think this is going to work?"

"No."

* * *

><p><strong>Note: If you guys are confused by Helge's little Medusa Moment, here's an explanation: In the Frozen continuity, Trolls are unable to move when the sun is up. They turn back into stone until the night starts rolling again. It's not stated in the movie, but the guidebook said so, and both troll meetings in the film occurred at night. It's a wonder Kristoff is not nocturnal. <strong>**The fact that Helge was able to stay awake and alert into the morning is supposed to be an unusual feat.**

**Again, please, _please_ review. Or at least favorite and follow. Each one gives my heart a little lurch of joy, and the rest of my body follows.**

**See you soon, fans of _Frozen._**


	4. Ch 4: To Move Onward

**One day, I'm going to write a story about Elsa's confused sexuality. One that will end in ambiguity. Not today, not tomorrow, probably not in this linear timeline, but I will at some point, somewhere. It just sounds like a fun idea that will probably annoy a few people. **

**In all seriousness, I'm not big on romance or smut. I find Canon pairings of any kind to be tolerable at most, and it just goes downhill from there. For instance, my feelings regarding Elsanna is... complex, to say the least. Needless to say though, I have no love for that ship. **

**All rights go to Disney, and absolutely no one else. I cannot forgive Disney Channel, however.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 4<span>

To Move Onward

* * *

><p>For years, Elsa learned not to tap her foot out of impatience or anxiety. It was rude, painfully honest, and quite noisy, especially during the years of isolation and closed doors in the once barren palace. Such a sound echoed from one end of the castle to the next, bouncing off the walls, the suits of armor, and the furniture.<p>

Predictably, the rapid tapping of feet used to be an indicator of Anna's presence.

Instead, Elsa chewed on her smoked salmon long after it was a messy and dry pulp, not swallowing at all. Her stomach growled, but she didn't have any appetite whatsoever. Elsa could feel it, an invisible, a near-tangible tension pressing itself against her back. It gave her shivers and goosebumps down her spine, although she could never feel the cold. She had chosen to sit in a corner, faced away from the rest of the chattering restaurant patrons, so she would have an easier time pretending they didn't exist.

_It is unbecoming of a queen to be afraid of your own people_.

But how can she not? From the moment she stepped inside the building, the burly and armed Captain of the Guard by her side, a hush drew over the crowd as if somebody just died. The silence was broken by the scraping of chairs, and all of the adults hastily stood up to bow to her. Only the children, who had little idea what was going on, stayed in their seats.

Elsa closed her eyes, desperately trying to focus on her meal. She wasn't used to eating in such a public and crowded place. The clangs of silverware against plates, the incessant chatter, the shouting of chefs, and the squeals of angry little kids grated against her ears. For years, she was accustomed to having her meals sent by Gerda in her bedroom, where she ate in complete, and sometimes miserable, silence. For the past few weeks, she was merely relearning what it was like to sit at the dinner table again, with company. Sure, Kristoff, Olaf, and Anna were present, making such a scene with all of the hoots, the food-inhaling, the throwing, and whatnot. They could replace any chaos in a restaurant all by their lonesome, but that was just them. Elsa felt comfortable and loved there, with everything around that troubled her nonexistent. They were family.

And now there were none to help her ignore the flashes of curious eyes.

"More water, Your Majesty?" A waiter, dressed in uniform and apron, held up a tin pitcher. If Kristoff were here, he'd say that the waiter's chin is sharp enough to split blocks of ice.

Elsa opened her lips to reply, but remembered her mouth was still full of fish. She swallowed, and coughed a little, her faint freckles rendered invisible by her warm cheeks. "Yes, please." She raised her empty glass hesitantly.

"Are you feeling alright, Milady?"

Elsa gave the waiter an inquiring glance, and saw that her hand was in violent tremors, shaking her glass unconsciously. She placed the cup down, perhaps a bit too forcefully, and took a few deep breathes to regain her composure. Cool steam came forth from her dark lips, in spite of the restaurant's heat and the summer air.

A voice inside her head scolded her, sounding familiar in pitch and tone. _You're the Queen of Ice and Snow! Cool, frosty, all that stuff! More than that, you are the Queen of Arendelle! You should be socializing!_

_But how?_

Elsa thought about her sister, who was _supposed_ to be with her, chatting up a storm as if no one else existed. As a young woman good with people, Anna could strike a conversation with anyone, or at least rope them in helplessly. Elsa was completely jealous of her sister's talents. Anna could make friends easily. What would she have done in this situation?

_Think like Anna_...

"Excuse me," Elsa called out. The words costed almost all of her aplomb. "Sir?"

_Oh no, that was a complete mistake..._

The waiter, who was prepared to return to his station, widened his eyes. "I-I'm sorry, are y-you referring to me?" He evidently never thought the Queen would pay attention to a lowly subject like him, unless if he fouled up her lunch horribly. There was fear and anticipation marring his thin face.

"Um..." The words lodged themselves in Elsa's throat; she was just as afraid herself. The entire world was now conspiring against her, for the restaurant hushed itself, the scraping of forks against plates silenced. Elsa's eyes darted back and forth like a cornered animal. She could feel the attention all focused between her and the poor waiter. With little association to Elsa's powers, the atmosphere became frostier. Her back began itching something fierce. A few mutters slithered among the crowd, no doubt of disapproval for the Queen.

_Think like Anna..._ Anna, without a care in the world...

"B-beautiful weather we're having today..."

That's how Anna would have said, right?

The young waiter blinked, and looked out a window before replying. "Yes, yes it is..." Then, he walked away, quickly as he could without making it seem rude. He will have time to cheer for catching the beautiful Queen's attention later, but he's currently just plain terrified. The restaurant's sound levels slowly resumed back to its original state.

Elsa's cheeks were positively burning now. She didn't know whether to pat herself in the back for progress, or slap her forehead in embarrassment. She decided the latter will suffice. The resultant sting did little to help the headache that was coming around. She sighed, and rubbed her temples with two fingers.

_Can't this day get any longer?_

* * *

><p>The Guard stationed outside of the restaurant stood resolute, but not at all stiff. With dark hair, strong shoulders, towering height, massive arms, and a very well-groomed mustache, he caught the attention of many a random passersby, mostly women. He was a soldier for years, with the accolades and the scars to prove it.<p>

He was also one of the men who assisted in the Siege of the North Mountain Summit under Hans' leadership.

In any other circumstance, he would have done his best to make sure no one gets through to the Queen. Not a single hair on her platinum blonde hair would have been touched by anyone. Instead, he stood outside the door, only looking for strange sights; he was painfully aware of the strength and power of the Snow Queen, and would only require to serve as her eyes.

He thought about the recent turn of events. His Queen had taken to dressing in snow gowns, reminiscent of the one she wore when she was discovered and captured during the Siege. They varied in both style and levels of conservation, but each one sparkled and shined like the sun against the sea.

Still, despite the flashier getup that suggested confidence, Elsa was still the same timid, quiet girl who would prefer to lock herself away from the rest of the world, rather than open up and risk hurting anyone, including herself.

_Captain of the Royal Guard, Arvid of Arendelle, at your service. I will be your escort for the day._

_Thank you, Arvid._

_Your Majesty...?_

_Just... call me Elsa. I appreciate all of the hard work you have done, protecting this castle and my family for years past._

A shot of pain and remorse stabbed his heart, an icicle of self-criticism and doubt. He was almost responsible for his Queen's unjustified execution, had Anna not sacrificed herself out of True Love. It was something he could never have achieved, and it ached within him. Ever since he was old enough to fight, Arvid wanted nothing but to protect his wife and country. Yet, he utterly failed on that day, and nearly exterminated the royal family out of dumb blindness. While Queen Elsa have not taken offense to his sin, Arvid saw the Eternal Winter as the greatest shame of his long career.

Which is why, when he saw a pair of bright blue eyes peeking over a barrel of apples in the distance, he merely shook his head and gestured at his own eyes, rather than come over and shake the suspicious person until her insides rattled. The sapphire eyes widened in understanding, and disappeared. He glanced behind him into the restaurant window, seeing the increasingly distraught Queen.

_Princess Anna, I hope you know what you're doing._

* * *

><p>"Coffee Cake, Your Majesty."<p>

"Oh, thank you very kindly." Elsa forced a smile at the waiter.

_Thank you very kindly, indeed, _Elsa thought bitterly. _This restaurant debacle was taking too long. Just hide for another hour, and you can go back home!_

_But you haven't "connected" with a single townsfolk! Think! _

_Think like Anna!_

Elsa took a deep breath, turned towards to the eating patrons, and tapped a lone woman sitting nearby. The woman possessed crow's feet, but boasted a hefty build, with a broad face and broad shoulders, that screamed of strength and resolution. While chewing on her lutefisk, she gave Elsa a stare that was neither maleficent nor friendly.

Elsa nearly forgot what she was about to say. She glanced at her cake. Food._ Food. Right._

"This restaurant sure serves some impressive cuisine, doesn't it?"

The woman stared back at her with piercing, intelligent eyes, silent and indecipherable.

"Um... I suppose you haven't eaten dessert yet? I think it's even more delicious than what they cook at the palace." Elsa kicked herself mentally. The cake laid in plain sight, untouched.

The woman continuing staring. Then, she pointed a thick, gnarled finger. Elsa followed the woman's direction, and realized her cup was starting to frost over. She snapped her hand back. Her heart was beating rapidly, drumming itself against her ears.

"I know you are trying your hardest."

Elsa blinked. The woman had finally talked back.

"I understand what you are trying to do, but I don't completely approve of you just yet."

Elsa merely nodded at this admission, her face neutral.

"I've never been one for monarchs and anything that deals outside of my home and labor. I've worked in a crop farm for years. Look at this hand." She raised one for Elsa to see, which was thick, scarred, caked with years of dirt, and knobby in many places. "The sun has turned my skin rough and dry, the hard work bowed my back, and my hands are almost always sore from pulling vegetables. If it weren't for my husband, I would have never found love anywhere." Her eyes hardened. "The Eternal Winter you brought on us had not just trapped people in the kingdom with snow. It has also destroyed the crops that farmers like me spent months sowing and tending.

"Your policies later have helped in the aftermath," the woman admitted. "But, I have lived through three generations of rulers," Her voice wasn't malicious, but they carried contempt. "And King Akthar's rule never started this poorly."

Akthar. Her father.

_You will never be as good your parents._

Ice shot out of the glass, spilling downwards and onto the table in jagged patterns. Everyone in the restaurant screamed in surprise.

"Please, everyone just stay calm! I can fix it!" Elsa reached for the glass. It exploded into a crystallized star, its many sides shining brightly like multicolored fire, its wicked points fanning out in all directions.

Elsa saw the fearful looks. There was no longer any light shining through the window, no walls that bordered the rooms. There was only the tightly packed crowds and the starry sky, the air becoming thin from everyone gasping at the same time, and the eyes staring at her, contrasting against the darkness like cold flames. Elsa hands twitched harder.

"Your Majesty," Arvid said. Elsa snapped her attention to him. His mustached face did not belong in the memory, and her world was pulled back to the present. "Would you like me to take you back home?"

"Yes! I mean, n-no! Please, just... just wait!" Arvid looked at her, inquisitive. "I-I need time alone. Please, don't follow me."

Arvid looked uncertain, and his dark eyes darted elsewhere. Finally, he said, "As per your orders, Your Highness."

Elsa stood up from her chair on shaky knees, nearly collapsing to the floor. She refused Arvid's offer for help. Then, she bolted out of the restaurant, her cape billowing everywhere. The air Elsa disturbed was tinged with white flakes.

Arvid sadly watched her as she vanished, and shot a nasty look at the farmer woman. She looked slightly troubled by what she has done, but stuck her chin out at him.

"The Queen has a lot ahead of her before she deserves my respect."

* * *

><p>Elsa ran down the town leading a trail of frost, ignoring the gazes and questions of pedestrians. She slowed to a stop at the harbor, overlooking the whole fjord. The wind from the sea blew strongly, blowing her plait and cape off to a side. Breathing heavily, she placed her hands on her knees to rest, and looked down at the water. There were debris, leaves and sea foam that floated and splashed against the wooden poles in waves, before drifting out into the open water, beyond the kingdom.<p>

Elsa briefly contemplated following them, freeing from all of her troubles and responsibilities forever. The possibility seemed tempting, even delicious. Just let all of her worries, her anxieties, her thoughts melt and wash away in the great beyond...

The waves settled for a brief moment, revealing a mostly undisturbed reflection of Elsa. Her icy blue eyes stared back at her pitifully.

But what about Anna?

_Do you see how beautiful you are?_

_You are not a coward._

If she ran away, Arendelle would be plunged into even greater danger and chaos. She wouldn't want to lump that on anyone, most especially on Anna and her new family.

If she ran now, she would never have had time to say goodbye.

Little chunks of spiky ice burst and crystallized in the water below. Elsa touched her face lightly, and realized it was wet with tears. Another teardrop fell down her chin. Upon contact with the sea water, it spawned another frozen star.

Elsa sat back, curled into a ball, exhausted, and a little scared. She wrapped her cape around her like a translucent, silver security blanket, feeling the caress of the sea breeze stroking her hair. Like that of a kindly and understanding matron, the wind comforted her with its gentle touch.

"Excuse me?"

Elsa glanced to her left side, not lifting her head. From the corner of her eyes, she could see a young man and woman. The man was a bit on the scrawny side, and the lady besides him was clearly pregnant. They both smiled at her, slightly perplexed.

The man introduced himself with a faint, Swedish accent. "My name is Bernt, and this is Alexandra. I didn't think one of your station would be hanging around in here." His voice changed to a curious tone. "Is something the matter?"

Elsa wiped her face, and picked her head up. They looked at each with surprise, fear, and giddiness. "It's the Queen!" They hastily bowed. "Your Majesty!"

"Please," Elsa responded, wincing at the word. ""I'm no Queen. I don't deserve to be. Anna would have made a far improved candidate over me."

"What?" Alexandra asked. "Why?"

"I threw so many troubles at you from the very moment I was crowned. But then, I-I got scared, and ran away. I thought I did everyone a favor, by leaving from their sight. But then, I set an Eternal Winter on all of you!" Elsa hiccuped. "People are still angry, and they have every right to be! I almost ran away again! If there was ever a Queen that was lousy, it would be me!"

The couple looked at each other. "Your Majesty," the man began.

"Please, no..."

"Qu-... uh, _Elsa_." Bernt amended. "I personally think you are very brave. You came back, after all."

"Stop that. I've done nothing but run away. For the past thirteen years, that was all that I have ever done, especially from my own sister."

He scratched his head. "Maybe you did get scared. But that's perfectly normal."

"You think?"

Alexandra answered, "Everyone makes bad choices when they are scared." She tilted her head, pensive. "For years, people have said that you are very cold. You couldn't care less about anyone, which is why the palace doors remained closed even after the K-... yeah." She knelt down so they were wet-eye-to-eye. "But I can see that you are nothing but a sweet, kind girl who's lucky to be younger than me. You ran away because you thought that was how you could help. You believed it was the best option." She shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe it was."

Elsa thought to herself. If she stayed on that fateful day, Elsa would have continued to stay locked behind the bedroom door. Anna would still have to live life without anyone besides servants, no friends, no loved ones, no sister. The only thing that would change would be Elsa's title. In a way, the mother-to-be was right. Still...

"B-but... I can't just keep my distance anymore, could I."

"No. I prefer the open gates, thank you very much." Bernt said affirmatively. "So... why did you run away that time?"

""It's... It's because I didn't want anyone to get hurt... To get Anna hurt..."

"Right. You love your sister and country so much, you'd never want to see them despair."

"But that just makes me weak, an awful person..."

"Please," Alexandra interrupted, stern. "You're the Queen of Arendelle, one who can make an ice rink form at the drop of a hat. If I have ever known a person any more powerful, I have never met them... besides my husband of course."

"Aw, thank you, sweet."

"And you aren't an awful person, Queen Elsa. You ran away out of love. If it truly was a bad decision," she leaned forward. "Learn from it. Pick yourself up and rise again."

_Don't run. Move forward._

The woman offered her hand to the Queen.

"Won't I trouble your baby?"

She barked out a laugh. "Please, I need the exercise."

Elsa hesitantly took her hand, and was lifted to her feet with surprising ease. She patted herself down, feeling the expectant gazes of the young couple.

"So while we're on the subject of my pregnancy," Alexandra said, facing Elsa. She was even shorter than the monarch. "Would you, as my Queen, bless my baby?"

Elsa's mind didn't comprehend the last few words. What she heard was a garbled mess, as if she was a young toddler hearing people speak and hold conversations, without understanding the meaning behind the phrases. "E-excuse me?"

"Would you like," the pregnant woman enunciated, "to bless my baby?"

Elsa gasped in shock. "You're child." She looked at the bump. "I-I couldn't..."

"Don't deny her..." Bernt warned, but the woman caught up to Elsa first.

"No! You will not refuse! You are the Queen. If there's anyone who should bless my baby, it should be you!" She grabbed Elsa by the collar with both her hands. Her face was set and resolute. Despite Alexandra's small build, Elsa felt her high heels lift slightly from the ground. She briefly thought she could see a shadow of Anna's spirit and energy within the woman.

"Stop it!" Bernt protested. "You'll get arrested!" He was promptly ignored by his wife.

"B-but couldn't you find a priest? I still don't think I-I'm good enough," Elsa stammered.

"Are you joking?" Alexandra let go of Elsa softly and carefully. Her voice became tender. "I want the best for my kid, and my decision says _you_ are the greatest choice."

Elsa looked down at her hands. Little snowflakes puffed out, and drifted away in the wind. She looked back at them. They gave her half-pleading looks. They trusted her with their child, their unborn baby.

"Okay..." Elsa sighed. She cannot just back out from their request, not anymore. She stuck her hand out tentatively, her gaze pointed away from the couple. Her fingers were a few inches away from the woman's stomach. She scrunched up her eyes, trying hard not to imagine herself freezing the mother. Her face paled in response to the resulting image, a statue of a smiling, pregnant Alexandra, making her lose what color she had left in her skin.

Elsa heard a sigh of exasperation, footsteps on the wood, and the woman covered the rest of the distance. Elsa's hand felt the warm fabric, a round shape, and-

The feeling was electric underneath Elsa's palm. She nearly pulled her hand back out of reflex. She could touch it. A little jolt in the woman's stomach.

The baby had kicked.

Alexandra smiled. "See? I can feel it too; the baby kicked for you! It is a very good judge of character, you know. If you were not good enough, it wouldn't have wanted to meet you that badly."

Elsa just stood like that forever, feeling for the baby's little kicks, and listening to the squawking of seagulls, the slapping of waves against boats. Bernt pulled at his collar nervously. Alexandra cleared her throat. Right. Elsa's eyes widened. She was supposed to bless the baby.

Until her coronation, Elsa had not attended church for years, and she quite frankly didn't worry about such topics until this very moment. She looked at Bernt a little desperately, silently asking him for advice. The man just shrugged, and said, "Anything will do for us."

After much thought, she found the answer within herself. "Excuse me..." Elsa said quietly. "I have never blessed anything before, but... here I go." She took a deep breath, the mother's stomach warm under her pale hand. She placed all of her focus on where her palm rested, until nothing else mattered.

"M-May you always be happy. May you never be shut out from others, may you never fear just because you're different..." She was feeling faint. _Don't forget to breathe, silly._

Elsa's voice grew stronger. "You will have such a life ahead of you when you are born. There is despair, there is loneliness, fear, anger, stress, frustration, and there is pain. When you are in the world, you may feel that life is just so, _so _difficult, it seems hardly worth the trouble."

She thought of her extended family; Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven, all smiling happily and gamboling as they pelted each other with snowballs. "But you cannot just run away and escape from life. There is hope, happiness, and love. Not just the kind of love where you like someone, but True Love. When you are growing up, when you are learning how to live, always understand that you are never alone, wherever you are. In a home, in a city, out at sea, or even as far above in the mountains, there is someone who wants to be with you. That's the special thing about True Love; it's what makes life catch back up with you."

She thought of her mother and father, giving her assuring smiles before they left on a trip to another kingdom. "Your own parents will be there for you when they can, for every step of the way, because they love you. They love you enough to ask the Queen of Arendelle for her blessing. And when they can't..." Elsa swallowed. "You will realize that there are so many, many others who love you just as much, others who will always be happy to help you with any trouble." She was beginning to forget that she was supposed to speak to the pregnant mother, instead talking to herself.

"You will never shun yourself away from others, even if you or they are different, because you shouldn't. You should always strive to make yourself a better person for everyone, because you should.

"You will never lead the life I had, with a painful childhood filled with loneliness and regret. You will live happily for your entire life, surrounded by the people who truly love you, as I am living now."

Elsa's vision was incredibly blurry. She couldn't hold it in anymore; she needed someone like Anna. Elsa spread her arms open. Past her tears, the couple glanced at each other in shock. _That? _From the Queen?

She embraced both of them tightly before they finished processing the situation. They were mildly started, but decided to wrap their arms around her as well.

"Wow... Y-You're colder than we thought."

Elsa herself only felt the gentle heat of the two young people in her arms. After a minute, they slowly unwrapped themselves from each other.

Wiping away her tears, Elsa sniffed, smiling. "Thank you. You two made me feel a lot better about myself." Both father and mother-to-be swelled with pride. "Now, if you would excuse me, I have a mistake to fix."

They watched her as she walked back into town. Now that that she had been consoled, they could have sworn that they saw a little bounce in the Queen's high heels that clicked against the road pavement rhythmically. Bernt elbowed the pregnant Alexandra.

"You sure the baby's as good of a judge of character as you say?"

"Of course!"

"What about the time she kicked for your mother?"

"That was a month ago, the child didn't know anything back then!"

* * *

><p>"Heeee!"<p>

"Quiet, will you? If you keep squeaking like that, Elsa will hear you!"

"Sorry, sorry! It's just, I was so worried that Elsa will get hurt by others, that she would never want to leave the palace again." Anna's face scrunched up comically in fury. "But oh... That dastardly woman! I don't care that she's old, I'm going to feed her with her teeth the next time I see her..."

"That's... just a bit over the top, you know. And I'm pretty sure she can snap even _me _like a twig."

Anna made another mood swing, chipper once more. "She does remind one of old Oaken, doesn't she? HOO-hoo!" She imitated the finger-twiddling. "But now Elsa made some friends, everything is working out all right!" She spread her arms out to express her joy, and accidentally slapped poor Kristoff in the nose. "Oh, sorry, sorry! Is it bleeding?"

"Nah," Kristoff said, as he rubbed his nose. "I've suffered worse damage by squirrels..." Anna pouted at him. "I'm serious! Nasty, stupid, little twitchy things, hoarding all of the nuts; nothing that small is supposed to leave scars both physically and mentally..." He caught himself mid-ramble, and sighed. Anna grinned victoriously at him, happy to learn something new about him again.

"L-let's just get back on topic. I'm proud of Elsa too, you know that? Remember that it took me a week to greet anyone in a way that doesn't involve negotiations with ice? At least I had Sven by my side for all these years. And I _still_ offer to shake hands with Elsa sometimes!"

"She shook hands anyway."

"That's not the point! The thing is, I'm glad Elsa is coming along very quickly."

"...You really care for her that much?"

"Hey, give yourself some credit. She's _your _sister. If anything happens to her, I'm going to have to answer to _you_."

"And you love her ice sculptures."

"And her sculptures are _gorgeous._" Kristoff stopped before he began to shed a tear thinking about her ice palace, and cleared his throat. "Still, since you're my girlfriend and all, Elsa might as well be my sister."

Anna's voice became teasing, but slightly insecure. "I suppose it's nice to have a sibling that's human?"

"Yeah. But..." Kristoff kissed her on the forehead. "It's not as nice as someone who I can share my life with."

"Aw..." Anna could have snuggled herself against Kristoff's hard chest, but her eyes focused onto the bluish-white figure walking briskly downtown. "Wait, we're getting distracted. Elsa went that way!"

* * *

><p>"Are you alright, Milady?" Arvid asked. Marketplace shoppers were giving curious glances at the Queen. She could still feel them, their attention, an invisible force, pressing against her skin.<p>

_There is no reason to fear._

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you for your concern, Captain Arvid."

"Are you sure you want to go back inside?"

"Of course, Captain." Elsa's lips tugged at the corners. "I have a cake to finish."

The man blinked at her, as if she sprouted a new head. Then, his mustache quivered, and moved with his mouth to form a warm smile. "Of course, Your Majesty." He sidestepped to open the restaurant door for her.

When she stepped into the restaurant, everyone inside immediately silenced themselves. Even the children hushed the second time around." They were unsure, and their focus made her near-white hair stand on their ends.

_Don't run._

"At ease, everyone. Do not let me bother your appetites." She saw the corner where she tried to hide in during lunch. Ice had spread out from the spiky lump of ice that was once her drink. The cake was, of course, left untouched. Elsa had the sneaking suspicion the restaurant workers had little idea what to do with their new pocket winter wonderland.

"Queen Elsa." A woman appeared before Elsa. Unlike the other restaurant worker, she was very well-dressed. "I-I am the owner of this property." She bowed hastily. "I hope one of my staff did little to offend you. If you say he had, I will have him removed from my restaurant immediately."

A man with the familiar razor chin at the edge of Elsa's perspective stiffened.

Elsa smiled. "None at all. It is my fault that I damaged your establishment. I would like to take a seat there to make amends."

"W-well of course. Would you like any additional orders?"

"Of course, I'm starving!"

In many ways, it was as if she never left. She still felt nervous. She is still painfully aware of all the faces and eyes that watched her with unease and awe. And, while the farmer woman had already left, she knew there were still people present who disapprove of her.

Running away is understandable, but it's not a permanent solution. She cared too much for the state of the kingdom. She loved her family and people too much. She would have to fix her mistakes at some point.

She surveyed the frost, wondering how she could make it up to the waiter. Perhaps a miniature ice castle for the young man. With all the time she tried to make up for with Anna, she ironically had little time to herself. Now, she had some new architectural ideas that she always wanted to test...

With new drive, she dug into her coffee cake. The faint ringing of the town bells signaled the new hour.

_I can afford to stay in this town for longer..._

* * *

><p>A clang of a chime, pure and silver in tone, rang throughout the shadowed woods, initially as quiet as a distant bird song. The sweet little sound slowly grew louder as it bounced off of tree trunks, through whispering leaves, and over aged rock, until it became a deep, roaring fortissimo at the edge of the forest. Grand Pabbie, holding the staff out in front of him, winced.<p>

The last ward... It's been shattered.

A mist, nearly as thick as flood waters, rushed between the thick trees and out of the haunted forest. The Grey Fog of Ravendall, famous for having travelers lost and swallowing innocents, sowing chaos and confusion everywhere. It splashed against Pabbie, like a lone rock standing against the constant onslaught of a raging river.

Pabbie merely fanned away at it, annoyed. One, slight benefit of being inhuman meant that he saw the Fog for what it was: a simple attack. Pabbie's psyche was left untouched.

He placed all of his resolves and hopes within the next words he spoke. "Reveal yourself demon!" He slammed the end of the staff to the ground. Golden light splashed from the contact, spreading amber rings outward that illuminated the mist. "You, who have denied yourself rest, and have lashed out against all who have come across you, stealing their lives and locking them away in the darkness that was your soul, COME FORTH!"

At first, nothing seemed to have happened. Pabbie's eyes darted back and forth, his large ears twitching to listen for any abnormal sounds.

Then, the Fog of Ravendall stopped moving. It hung in the air like a still portrait, silent, sullen, and unnatural. Even the trees stopped with their rustling. The Troll King tightened his grip on his staff, gathering even more will and resolution within the fixed crystals.

He could hear the sound of something breathing.

* * *

><p><strong>I... don't know how to bless a baby. I'm sorry if I botched it awfully. I'm not a religious guy, so I just wrote a little something based on shonen manga that I've read, and the occasional random little speeches Mom would give with the least amount of tact. Thank you for being who you are, you crazy woman.<strong>

**By the way, am I handling the angst well enough? I don't want to have a situation where Elsa just kind of stops being... Elsa. Do you get the picture, or no? Why don't you post a review about your opinion? I will appreciate whatever you say, and try to follow. Just keep those reviews, favs, and follows coming.**

**Seriously, I am worried. If I take all of this too over-the-top, then everything Elsa goes through will just become unsympathetic wangsting. Eugh.**

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen._**


	5. Ch 5: I Won't Be Alone

**I would like to give a thanks to all 46 of my followers for liking my story enough to put it under their radar. I remembered when I first wrote a fanfic a couple of years ago, I was excited that it got 83 _views_. So please, I would like to show my appreciation from all of my heart by continuing to serve you guys. You guys have made writing a fun experience again with your support and reviews.**

**Meanwhile, have you seen "Let it Go" in multilanguage? It's "bleep"-ping beautiful. I swear, the parts where Elsa goes into Japanese, Mandarin, Serbian, and **Québécois possess****** a direct line to my pleasure centers.**

**Actually, all of the languages have a direct line. Enjoy the ride.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 5<span>

I Won't Be Alone

* * *

><p>"Queen Elsa!"<p>

"Your Majesty! Please meet my husband!"

"Milady, you look beautiful this afternoon!"

Elsa raised her hand to acknowledge the civilians clamoring for her attention. She was feeling more and more overwhelmed. The news of Elsa having blessed a pregnant mother spread like wildfire, reaching from one end of Arendelle to the other. Hopefuls demanded that she meets them, that she say a few words.

Elsa initially complied with the civilians' requests, enjoying the fact that they don't seem to hate her anymore. She would greet herself to young children, smile and wave, spreading wisps of snow here and there, and create miniature models of random civilians. It was as if the entire kingdom had come to see her, to touch her, to feel her regal presence.

She wanted to feel appreciated by their desire for her... but she was losing both heart and spirit. Her words became clipped, her smile tortured her pale cheeks, and her ice became rush jobs. Upon the nineteenth person to ask her for a model made of frost, it took all of her discipline to prevent herself from just snapping at the girl. To make matters worse, she desperately wanted to shout and demand solitude.

_Maybe if she made an ice castle to hide in..._

_A Queen shouldn't be wanting to run away from her own people._

Ugly thoughts. Elsa grimaced. The crowd was really taking its toll on her. She needed a break.

"Captain Arvid," she yelled above the noisy men and women. "I-I need someplace to escape!"

The large uniformed man easily pushed his way through the swarm of people, until he was the one closest to the queen, and bowed. "Of course, Queen Elsa. May I suggest the bookstore?"

Elsa raised her eyebrows in curiosity. She was not even aware that there are shops that sold _only_ books.

Thirteen years of hiding will do that to you.

"Is it quiet?"

The man grinned through his mustache, and nodded.

"Captain, guide me there!"

The Guard saluted, clicking his leather heels together, and used his incredibly stocky arms to his advantage, splitting the horde and moving along like an expert swimmer. He created a large gap behind him that tapered to an end; Elsa could walk in it, without being swept aside by admiring people.

Despite her duty to connect with the public, Elsa was truly glad she had someone like Captain Arvid to separate them from her whenever she needed it. They reached a rustic, two-story building with ease, and the Captain opened the entrance door to usher her in. Elsa took a tentative look inside, and hugged Arvid out of appreciation. The Guard's eyebrows shot up into the brim of his hat, his expression priceless.

Dlsa hurried into the doorway, and heard it shut close behind her, as well as the barks of orders the Guard shouted to the disappointed masses.

Elsa gazed around the store in sheer awe. The smell of musty paper hung in the air, and the establishment was gently lit by curtained windows and hanging lamps, creating an ambient, deeply golden glow. There was hardly a sound besides the scratching noises of a pen. The disruptive scraping of a chair, caused by the shopkeeper rushing to bow, broke the silence, but only momentarily. Besides that, there was only one other person, and he paid no attention to her at all. There was no talking, no shouting, no clamoring, and no demands.

It was peaceful.

The shop was comfortably decorated with furnishings and rugs, almost like a library re-purposed into a home. Elsa's palace had its own private library, of course, but the writings were old, aged, practical, and dull. In the castle's library, the books packed with files on trade agreements and tax revenue would be severely juxtaposed by stories devoted to entertain children, a side-effect of the Closed Gates. Elsa herself had nothing else to do during that period. So, for thirteen long years, most of the texts at home have been already devoured.

Here, there were shelves that were neatly arranged and sorted, adorned with books of all sizes, vibrant colors, and thickness. However, the impressive factor for Elsa was that everything stacked on these wooden shelves was fresh content.

For the first time in forever, nobody called her queen. Elsa was now a child again. Not a little girl filled with regret and pain, but one who hopped with enthusiasm and curiosity for the world around her. Her icy heels made softened thuds over the carpets as she brushed her fingers along binding after binding of published works. She paced from one end of the building to the other, fretting for a split second over all of the choices presented to her, her mouth stretching into a giddy smile.

Elsa came to a conclusion; she should just start with one from every genre.

She walked over to a shelf, and closed her eyes with one hand, as a young child would, before reaching out towards it. Her fingers latched onto a paperback, and she pulled the novel out. Not even bothering to read the title, she flipped the book open and skimmed through.

Until now, she had never read a novel that was amazing as this one, for it was completely unique to her. She laughed at one punch line for its fresh unfamiliarity, then sobered immediately in the next page, feeling empathy for the revolutionary separating from his children. She flipped several more pages to stop on a passage, and read down the paragraphs. However, before she finished, she snapped the book closed, blushing furiously.

It was a romance novel, of course.

Her eyes darted left and right, even though there were only the two people inside who were not even within proximity of her, and she tucked the book underneath her arms for further reading.

_What are you, a little girl?_

She continued the same process at the next shelf, and the one after that, again and again, wondering why she couldn't have just spent her entire time here instead of a crowded restaurant.

Because _you will starve otherwise, and Anna will have a new reason to fuss over you_.

Elsa put the book she was reading down, her joy dampened. She was still annoyed with her sister for not coming with her to help.

_Anna, who has done nothing but forgive her sister for all of the years of pain she had dumped on her_.

She exhaled slowly to release her mental turmoil. With additional gusto, Elsa pulled more novels out of their shelves. All she needs is just more literature.

* * *

><p>As Elsa skimmed over a new book, this one about the life in the far-off world of America, the lone patron walked by and stopped next to her, perhaps a little uncomfortably close. Elsa's heart jumped in response out of the invasion of privacy. Her eyes twitched, her shoulders slightly raised, she was very unnerved by him. She could smell him, not necessarily an awful odor, but it was quite powerful. Elsa snuck a peek at him, seeing a pair of glasses, and the color of grass. Elsa swallowed, and looked away.<p>

He was doing the same thing. The man reached over to grab two books, one on each hand.

Now, Elsa wasn't exactly too sure what this man was up to. He made a big show of trying to decide which one to take with him, lifting one up to scrutinize it, before switching to the other, clearing his throat. If Elsa had knew any better, she would have suspected he was trying to grab her attention, and initiate a conversation. The fact that he seemed to have read the left book's summary four times over by then was not helping matters.

After two, uncomfortable minutes, the man was wearing down Elsa's welcome.

_Go away, please. You are too annoying._

Not that Elsa ever said that.

_That's because you are too much of a coward._

No, that's because it's common courtesy.

Elsa shook her head, irritated. She sorely wished that Anna had been here. Anna, her sister, who would gladly tell this stranger to shove off and be done with it.

_Anna, who left her at the gates for her to hang helplessly in this Royal Visit. Anna, who sacrificed so much for her weak sister even though Elsa deserved nothing. Anna, who had the terrible luck to have such an awful sibling who nearly killed her._

She heard a deep sigh, and shot another glance. The man, disappointment weighing his ashy brows, placed the books back onto the shelf.

Something snapped within the young woman. She was just so upset with herself, she just knew that the man had absolutely no justifiable reason to be angry at _her. That's his fault for trying!_

"What's your problem?" Elsa blurted, years of discipline flying straight through the curtained windows. "You were being too obvious, trying to get me to talk to a man like you!"

The man snapped back angrily. "Then why weren't you the one to at least tell me to go away!? The way you behaved, I would have thought you were mute!" They glared and fumed at each other. A part of Elsa's brain idly noticed that he was only a hair over Elsa's height, and he was nowhere near handsome. The only things remotely bright were his grass-green eyes. Everything else about him had either grayed or withered with age, such as his ragged coat, a beard that was simultaneously too long and too thin to have been tended to in ages, and his relatively frail figure.

This is getting nowhere.

The man sighed, and gave a stiff bow. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that, especially to a young lady as beautiful as yourself."

Elsa flushed at this sudden comment, and raised her hands to her mouth, her dark eyebrows curled in horror. She just shouted at an elderly man, for crying out loud.

_Stupid, stupid Elsa. Those novels have gone completely into your head._

"I-I'm sorry too," Elsa stammered. "I didn't mean to shout at you like that. I-I'm not good at socializing, I'm afraid."

"Well, that makes two."

Elsa crossed her arms, perplexed. "So, why didn't you say anything?"

The man flatly noted, "Not a lot of people enter bookshops, believe it or not."

"How is that important?"

The man opened his mouth to say something, but he held himself back. The words seemed to have physically lodged itself in his throat. He averted his eyes, and muttered something unintelligible.

"Excuse me?"

"I-I..." He sighed. He just stood there, his old and gangling body remaining completely rigid and motionless.

Elsa raised an eyebrow suspiciously, wondering why she didn't just leave him then and there. He was pathetic. He was rather pitiful. He was awkward. He was fearful of contact and intimacy, even though he just expressed desire for both a couple of minutes ago.

Strip away the gender, the status, the age, and the stature, and he was what Elsa saw in her bedroom mirror every morning.

He caught onto her train of thought. "It's okay if you leave." He chuckled sadly. "I'm just going to stay here until this misery passes." He peeked out of the window, watching pedestrians walk by, doing their everyday business. "You should be lucky."

Elsa blinked.

"I'm not from this town, and yet I can tell who you are, just from that shiny dress and hair of yours." Elsa covered her braid instinctively. "Rumors spread widely. You are Queen Elsa. You have to go to meetings? Balls? Public gatherings?"

"Please…" the woman winced. "I'm no queen. It's just Elsa."

"You do not know just how lucky you are," the older man continued. He had his eyes focused to the left of Elsa, but never directly at her face. "You are given so many opportunities, well, forced to, honestly, in order talk to others." He jabbed a thumb at the window. "I saw you with all of those people earlier, you know."

Elsa's ears heard the faint echoes of the multitude of people that she left behind only recently.

"Didn't know what they were talking about. Didn't really care myself. But, I would have switched places with you in a heartbeat."

"Why?"

"Because..." He inhaled slowly. "I'm lousy. Never really talked to anyone outside my family, since I never had to." Elsa nodded. "I... I can't say more, especially to a stranger like you."

Elsa was genuinely curious about this man. She wanted to know more, to understand why he was so easy to empathize with. "Can you at least say your name?"

The man just pursed his lips, not looking directly at her.

He truly is a painfully shy person. Elsa knew that he won't talk. If she were him, she wouldn't have either, without a bargain. Perhaps... she had an idea.

Her stomach lurched a little when she made the proposal. "You tell me your side of the story, and... I-I'll tell you mine." She felt unusually exposed in this situation, despite the solace the bookstore had been providing her the whole time earlier. "Deal?"

The man's eyes widened in surprise at the offer. "I suppose I owe you a name: It's Frode.

"And deal," he agreed. "But only if you go first."

Elsa blinked twice, realizing she placed herself into an uncomfortable situation. Still, she complied, albeit timidly. "So... Um..."

_How do I start?_ She closed her eyes, and thought of two little girls.

_You don't have to do this, you know._

_It is what I deserve._

Remembering the past was painful for Elsa. It meant having to face the inner demons that haunted her for years on end, bringing with them fear of her powers, which occasionally broke free as sudden drops of temperature. Frode had to remind her at times that ice was starting to coat the books. As she relived thirteen years of sadness and second thoughts, she explained that each day plagued her with futility and despair, until she learned her love and desire to protect her sister was the solution to controlling the ice.

She told of how she was raised to become Queen at a young age, how she initially looked forward to become the leader of an entire country! Then, Elsa explained how she nearly killed her sister at the age of eight, and how she dreaded having to face her people ever since. Elsa recounted the events of the Eternal Winter, about how her fears eventually got the better of her, why she threw away her duties as Arendelle's ruler as a result.

It was only after she froze her sister's heart that she began the road to recovery.

"-All those years, all those chances that I could have taken to open the door for Anna... I squandered them. Even so, I'm still afraid of what everyone think will of me, still worried that they will reject me for my powers and mistakes. Even today, I've been nothing but a sad excuse for a queen."

Frode's curiosity sparked in his eyes. "Can you control your powers now?"

Elsa tilted her head at him, and decided a little show would be necessary. She needed a break from this weight in her heart, anyway.

As she lifted her arms, she noticed that they were quaking severely. Without Anna around, she didn't know if she could manage her powers easily within this building. She feared she would lose restraint, her ice destroying this little haven tucked away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

_Think of Anna_. Her mind flashed back to the dressing mirror earlier that day, of her sister hugging her from behind. Anna's soothing voice repeated itself in the platinum blonde's ears. She then thought of Kristoff, who would go into a weepy mess every time Elsa made an ice sculpture, then of Olaf's joyful grin, and then even Sven. They loved her, powers included. They always told her they wouldn't want anyone else as a family member for the world.

_That would have to do._

Elsa waved a hand dramatically, sending a chill wind, illuminated by magic snow, down the aisles. It twinkled in the candle lights, and brushed past rows of books on display, turning covers and pages audibly.

She sucked in a short breath, pulling her hand back rapidly, and looked at the receptionist's desk. The shopkeeper did not pay a single bit of attention.

Elsa looked back at Frode, and waved her other hand, creating a miniature cyclone of white powder. It snuffed out nearby candles, painting a section of the store white with its luminosity. Elsa wasn't finished yet; she twirled around, guiding the free-flying snow towards herself. Silently, it surrounded her, forming a silver ring that spun rapidly, until it appeared to be a solid white. The ring widened into a thick veil, forming a swirling column that connected the ceiling to the floor, blocking Elsa's sight from the world outside.

Finally, she raised her hands, calling the snow into the small space between them. It swirled from multiple directions, like streamers spinning around a pole, compacting into a single snowball. She released her powers, and let the snowball fall unceremoniously onto the ground, now a simple mess that melted into the carpet.

The wizened man sucked in a deep breath, staring at the pile of disappearing snow. "Amazing. After thirty years, I thought I'd seen it all…"

He noticed the young woman's patient eyes at him. "I-I suppose it is my turn, then."

He scratched his head, sifting through decades of memories. "I had to leave my family," he said, quietly. "My parents were simple cabbage farmers. I never explored anywhere. Never had to. Cabbage farming doesn't require a lot of travel, you know? I mean, sure, they were deliciously sweet, better than any other vegetable, especially in the cold North! But, still. A cabbage is still a cabbage.

"Books were my only escape. They were a door to another world, one that was not limited by fences and dirt.

"Of course, my father expressed little desire for me to have life outside the farm. 'It's better to be safe in your home, doing what you know best,' he would always say. You following me?" Elsa nodded at him. "After a... heated discussion with dad... I-I couldn't take it anymore. I grabbed my novels, some vegetables from the farmlands, and... I ran. I ran away without ever looking back. That was the last time I had ever seen my parents."

_I'm never going back, the past is in the past..._

"I was ready to go out, seek my own fortunes." He stood up from his chair, alarming Elsa. "Let me tell you, the first few days were amazing!" He was gesturing with his hands in front of him, his voice gaining speed and confidence, finally comfortable with company around. Elsa was beginning to think that he was absorbed into his own world for the moment. "I visited towns and kingdoms, saw beautiful sights and beautiful people! No longer did I have to toil in an oversized garden, no longer did I have to listen to my parents! I was guided by books filled with adventure, filled with life! They tell of great things that came unexpectedly, things that caught the heroes' by surprise, flipped their lives upside down, awakened their talents, turned their miserable pasts into a future full of fortune and fulfillment!"

He was swinging his arms wildly now, and jumped boldly on tables to make his point. "I have traveled far and wide, through all four corners of Norway! I saw everything, read about ever- Woah, woah!"

In a manner reminiscent of clumsy Anna, he fell with clatter to the carpeted floor, spilling books and chairs everywhere. Elsa, terrified, peeked over the debris to make sure he's alright.

A spindly arm poked out from the mess, index finger pointed skywards, full of energy. " And here I was," he shouted as he clumsily crawled out, like a draugr rising from the deep. "Ready to accept the opportunity to become the hero of my own story!"

Elsa covered her face to hide a smile, but quickly lost the need to. Frode's eyes shadowed with strife. "I never got that shot. Look at me, I was never impressive. I have no useful skills, no money, no apparent reason for people to want to meet me. I just know how to dig cabbages. I went on, from town to town, hoping for that one spark, like a rich man paying attention to me as I worked with talents that I 'clearly' possessed, or bumping into a lady who loved me for who I was, to give me money, a family, a meaning to my life..." He gestured towards himself with his thin hands. "It's been three years of bidding for a dream to come; it's been twenty-seven years afterward of giving up. I'm an older man now. I have no wife, no permanent job, no family, nothing." He snorted, and gave one of the books a derisive look. "I wasn't the hero of my story. I was a vagrant."

Elsa wondered about what he said earlier. "Why did you give up?"

Frode looked even more frail behind his spectacles, his bright eyes worn and dried now. "The shame caught onto me when I saw a young man, my age and similar in build at the time, chasing a noble, or banker, somebody rich, as if his life depended on it. He had the drive and courage to pursue success, and all I did was wait for it to come to me. It hit me that… that I was such an incredible fool!"

He slumped onto a chair. "I can no longer talk to others, because I can't think of anything besides how fruitless it will be. I became scared. 'It would've been better if I didn't talk to them,' I started to reason. 'After all, nobody wants to meet a wayward son of a cabbage farmer.'" His voice began to waver, and he wiped a thumb across his eyes. He was starting to lose control of himself. "I can't even go back to my true family anymore, because of my fear and naivety..."

Elsa remained seated, looking at him in a new light. This man had lived alone, choosing a path that he never shifted from, until the years of denial and regret had practically destroyed him.

Just like how the past she could have changed nearly destroyed her as well.

"I can only hope to surround myself in books to escape the painful reality. What once became a pastime to escape to another world became a prison that I'm too afraid to leave from.

"That's why I would have wanted to be you... With your powers and high status." He tried his best to smile, but it was a weak effort. "But I guess the grass is always greener on the other side."

They remained silent, not really sure what to say next.

Elsa thought of Alexandra and Bernt, the young couple who were the first to connect with her since Anna and Kristoff.

"Learn from your mistakes," Elsa whispered, almost unconsciously.

"Hm?"

"Oh, um… A kind mother told me earlier that if I didn't like how a solution turned out, I should fix it."

Frode showed his teeth humorlessly. "Even one that is thirty years old?"

"I suppose you aren't too old to change?"

The aged man gave her words some consideration. "...I'm talking to you, aren't I?"

Elsa giggled. "Yes. I think that's a start. For the both of us."

Frode grinned, this time genuine. "It's nice knowing that I'm not the only one who has social issues. I was beginning to think that I was by myself, until I saw you."

Elsa voice softened. "Me too." She looked at a nearby clock. There was still time before she was required to return to the palace.

"Say…"

"Yeah?"

"You seem to know your books. Which of these novels do you think are the best?"

* * *

><p>The two newfound companions were complete physical opposites to each other, and yet they paid no heed to such a minor detail, instead talking for an entire hour about books and adventures. Elsa discovered that, while he was a man without a permanent job, he did accrue many artistic skills over the years. He showed her detailed sketches of small rodents, pulled out beautiful woodcuts from his bag, and possessed an exotic collection of pressed flowers in a large book.<p>

One of his talents, however, he kept hidden underneath a pile of books. As he was talking about dealing with squirrels (nasty, twitchy little things, he remarked), She saw a handwriting peeking out, along with an uncapped pen.

"What is that?"

"Oh, this! I-it's nothing, really. Just... something silly that I do all of the time."

"Let me see it!" Frode moved backwards, looking somewhat defensive, guiltily so. Elsa was losing his patience with this man once more. Still, she allowed herself room to partially joke. "As Queen of Arendelle, and a friend, I command you!"

He looked at her, sighed, and pulled out a few sheets of paper. They were covered with a script that could have only belonged to Frode. Elsa looked through the sheets. They were very much the same stories that Frode had been telling her. She suddenly understood the implications.

"You wanted to become a writer?"

"Well... yes. I always wished to be one, ever since I was a child. But... you know about my father."

Elsa reached over to lay a hand on his arm.

_But... this man isn't a family member._ She was slightly hesitant, and her fingers twitched more than Elsa would have liked. An image briefly flashed, showed a thin and frail-looking Frode, completely blue and frozen, his green eyes turned into icy white orbs, distracting her, encouraging her to pull away.

Bad thoughts. He needs assurance now. She pushed through, and touched him without any trouble. "There's no use in worrying about the past," she said, firmly as she could. "You could only look ahead now." She read another passage in the script she held. "It's beautiful."

Frode turned his head to her. "Thanks. For everything. You know, you were the first real friend I've had in years."

Elsa's lips widened into a warm smile. "I really appreciate that. Will you be leaving soon?"

"I don't know. I suppose when I have enough of this town, I'll go elsewhere." He grinned lopsidedly at her. "That's just the life that I've made for myself."

Elsa looked away, thinking quietly. She wasn't focused on anything, but she was lost in thought. An idea presented itself to her. "You read a lot of books?"

"Yes..."

"And you write stories about your exploration of Norway? Including here, this very kingdom?" Elsa suddenly felt very sneaky. _If Anna was here, she'd be so proud..._

"What are you up to..."

"Arendelle's in need of good writers." Her memory flashed back to the passages in the history books back home. "Norway has only recently come from Four Hundred Years of Darkness, where Danish literature had been all that have occupied these shelves. We have visitors from all over the world to come here, and it would please me to have a famous bestseller in this kingdom showcasing the pride of Norway," she explained, as she raised her head slightly. "Especially Arendelle in particular." She pointed a long finger at the Frode, who was now rather confused.

"However, the people here are far too busy to pay attention to anything outside of their concern, even if you decided to sew this writing," she shook the sheets in her hand gently, "into your clothes, and walk out in open daylight."

She tried best to appear haughty, looking down her nose at him. He needed to understand the message. "A drifter such as you cannot expect help to come unless he truly wish to chance his luck. Otherwise, he would have to find the right man, and shake him until he starts listening."

He stared at her, meeting eye-to-eye, betrayal marring his face.

"Normally, I would do my best to help you, but I see you are too shy and afraid to seek assistance yourself." Elsa turns around to leave. "Good-bye, Frode." She walked slowly and deliberately, making sure her high heels of ice clacked against the floor noisily. She only took a step with every slow beating of her heart.

Frode was clearly talented enough, he just needs to understand it himself. If he truly wanted to improve, he would get the hint before she could shut the door on him.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you leaving so suddenly? I thought... I-I thought was finally able to get along with someone!"

She's already at the exit. She sighed quietly to herself. _Maybe I was too harsh on him…_

She was prepared to turn around. She wanted to apologize to Frode, hoping that he could excuse this sudden extreme treatment and remain friends again. But... something kept her moving forward. Frode, like Elsa, must understand that only he can change his own course, because she believed he can. Her hand was turning the doorknob-

"Wait!"

Elsa turned her head and eyes slightly, so she saw Frode at her peripheral. A sly grin nearly overtook her features.

"You lying, manipulative, _wonderful _girl." He bowed awkwardly. "As a mere vagrant, I ask you..." He gulped, "to tell me of a publishing company nearby."

Elsa finally beamed at him, pleased, and spoke in a regal manner. "I have no idea, for I have not reviewed over Arendelle's existing businesses as of yet."

"Oh…" His face crestfallen, his shoulders slinked, he was prepared to walk away, disappointed with his life once more.

"But as a friend, I do know that the owner of this store had to get his books from _somewhere_."

He glanced to the shopkeeper, who had remained silent the entire time. Never had he once looked up from his own notes.

"But, I don't want to trouble him."

"You've came to trouble me; look how that turned out. Besides," she added, "you are only doing this because it is necessary. When it isn't, you are free to find solace, like I had with this amazing place." She waved her arms around, taking in the grandeur of the bookstore once more.

Frode gave a subdued leap of joy, his graying beard moving along with him, and clasped onto both of Elsa's pale hands, his green eyes shining with more hope than she ever saw him. "Thank you!" As he expressed his gratitude, his face lost much of its forlorn qualities.

He kissed her hands, but recoiled a second after. "Ah! Cold, cold!" Elsa was slightly uneasy, but he pulled back and laughed. "People still terrify me, but I don't think I'll leave this town anytime soon, thanks to you!" He waggled his eyebrows. "I'll give you a sneak peek when I'm finished. First look!"

Elsa hugged him. She didn't smell anything that had bothered her before, only feeling the warmth that he emanated from his body. "That sounds lovely. I suppose I can hope to see you in this bookstore in another day?"

He patted her on the back. "Of course. I look forward to the next time you come! Please, come soon!" He turned around, elated, to face the shopkeeper. "Excuse me! Sorry for interrupting you, sir..."

Elsa closed the wooden door, not needing to see more. She nodded towards the ever-dutiful Captain Arvid, just barely preventing herself from letting loose her own squeal of excitement.

Anna would indeed be so proud of her, because...

_...I made a new friend by myself!_

* * *

><p>The sun was setting low on the harbor by the time Elsa finally returned from her Royal Visit. There were much less people on the streets now, for they have returned home to eat dinner.<p>

The Snow Queen herself took her time to enjoy the sun setting on her kingdom, its blazing colors splashing over the water and homes. The entire fjord was painted in radiant hues of orange, gold, pink, and red, a stark contrast to the lithe, blue-white figure observing it.

Elsa's stomach growled noisily, and her cheeks became much less white. She quickly darted her eyes around, and decided to stop by the bakery before she caved in to starvation.

Initially, she planned on buying a chocolate pastry, an absolute certainty for deliciousness, to celebrate the success (or at least survival) of her trip. But, as she looked at the wide selection of mouthwatering treats, with the tarts glistening with sugar, the sumptuous-looking cakes, and rows and rows of decorated truffles...

Who was she kidding! In high spirits, now that the long, fruitful day was over, Elsa decided that she might as well go full out. In a move that caused the baker's left eye to twitch with disbelief, she brought nearly all of the sweets in the desert section, planning to share with everyone back home. She even purchased some small carrot cakes for Kristoff and Sven to share, if reindeers could eat such things.

Arvid tried to deny Elsa any bags to carry, as he attempted to secure a grip onto every dessert item. Elsa had to insist gently that she should at least assist, lest Arvid should comically drop everything into a mess. He was reluctant to give her a small bag of chocolate chip croissants.

For the first time in a while, she found herself facing the opposite direction of the palace gates, a welcoming sign instead of a prison wall. Elsa smiled, for she was finally home.

The Queen and the Captain were surprised to see Elsa's entire family, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven, waiting for her in the courtyard. Anna grinned at her older sister, but waved shyly.

"Um... Hey! So, how was your trip?"

"It was wonderful," Elsa laughed. She was being honest. She had her troubles, especially when so many people became too overbearing, but she had also gained some confidence within herself, and advice from a wide variety of good-hearted individuals.

Still though, she was constantly perplexed by a single detail the entire day, and decided to address it directly. Her dark eyebrows drew closer, and she scrutinized Anna. "Kristoff leaving for his own business, I can understand. But, I don't comprehend why you had to leave, too."

In no relation to Elsa's powers, everyone froze to their spots. Anna, bless her honest soul, started to go rigid, and clammed up. She's onto something, Elsa just knew it.

"Anna..."

The cornered redhead bit her bottom lip, and she looked at Kristoff desperately.

"What are you hiding from me?"

Kristoff muttered, waving his arms up, "That's it. I'm out of here. I like ice, but I do not want to spend the rest of the night wearing blocks for slippers."

Anna gaped at him in shock. "But you agreed first!"

"Alright, you got me there." He turned and breathed deeply, ready to explain. At Elsa's peripheral vision, she could see that Captain Arvid was stepping away, a knowing twinkle in his eyes.

"Quiet, Kristoff. I want Anna to explain these events..."

Kristoff blinked, unsure of whether or not he was out of the frying pan just yet, but he stayed put. "Yes, your royalty! No, I-I mean Your Highness! Wait! Queen Elsa? Just Elsa? Augh!" He slapped himself in the forehead.

_He truly is Anna's boyfriend_, Elsa thought, but she did not permit herself to laugh. Instead, she waved a hand behind her back, so a small flurry began spinning around the Queen and her captives, which increasingly thickened until it became a fully-fledged snowstorm. Anna and Kristoff looked around in alarm. Only Olaf and Sven was not concerned.

"Alright. Elsa, Elsa," Olaf said, holding his hands out in front of him. "I know you are upset to see Anna again- No, happy? I mean, you are always happy to see Anna, and yet I'm pretty sure you're mad because of what we did; this blizzard surely means something, I just can't put a finger on it-"

A burst of wind struck the little snowman, carrying Olaf's head upwards, and leaving it flying above its poor body.

"Hey Kristoff, I don't know if you can tell, but I'm pretty sure I'm taller than you right now!" Everyone else watched it jabber, nonplussed.

Elsa, without icicles of course, took a stab into the confusion. "I knew what you guys were up to while my back was turned." Both Kristoff and Anna, who huddled against Sven's fur for safety, looked first at each other, then at Elsa in astonishment.

Anna was the first to crack. "Elsa, I'm s-sorry for not telling you earlier, bu-"

"You two went off to elope didn't you!"

The blinding snow lost its wind power, and settled itself harmlessly on the ground. Everyone else just stood there, stunned. Anna and Kristoff sputtered, Olaf gasped, and Sven gave out an unusual, punctuated braying sound that could have been laughter.

Olaf's head fell onto the ground, but he didn't pay attention. He was latched onto something more interesting. "Anna, you didn't tell me you were actually going to marry today! I could have brought flowers!"

"N-no! I didn't!"

Elsa covered her mouth as she giggled, and Anna realized what had just occurred. The little sister began to fume, her face now matching her strawberry blonde hair, like an overgrown tomato. "Elsa! You... you-you..." She balled her hands into fists, and marched up to the queen, her chin jutting as outward as she could manage. She raised her hands, and beat them upon Elsa's chest repeatedly.

They had no strength behind, other than childlike anger, but Elsa's heart broke a little. "You big meanie! You scared me so badly, that's just awful of you!"

_Great job, you idiot. You took that joke too far, and now you've gone and made your sister mad at you._

A minute passed, punctuated by the sound of Anna's taps. Then, she hugged Elsa, silent. All was forgiven. Olaf's body went in for the hug as well. It reached out its stick of an arm inviting to accept more.

Kristoff, who was just standing there and watching the entire drama unfold, realized that the royal sisters were safe with, and from, each other again. He plucked the happy-go-lucky snowman's head out of the ground, replaced it on its rightful spot, and wrapped his long arms around the group as well.

"Still though, why did you guys leave me?" Elsa asked, mid-embrace.

Anna untangled herself from the bunch. "Oh, Elsa! I wanted to tell you so badly! but we couldn't, and we know that we should, but still, maybe it would've helped if we didn't? I didn't know myself, so-"

"We were asked by a troll." Kristoff explained laconically.

Elsa blinked. "Okay," she flicked her wrist, index finger outward at him. "That was a pretty lousy excuse."

"N-no, I'm serious! Remember when I told you I'm raised by them?"

"Well, yes, but it is pretty incredible to believe..." Elsa, unlike Anna, had not seen a troll since she was still eight years old.

Kristoff looked at the setting sun, which shined the last of its radiance at the clouds above as it dove into the sea. "It's almost night. Helge should be up soon; he can explain everything."

Elsa tilted her head at the young man. "Helge?"

* * *

><p>Elsa stopped herself before the royal stables, watching Anna pat her horse Chestnut hello. She had passed this place by several times, often to greet Sven and give the occasional treat, but never had she actually stopped and entered.<p>

Among other issues thirteen years of locking herself away did, she forgot how to ride a horse. She hardly had any memories of being on horseback anymore. The last time was...

Elsa saw a streak of Anna's hair change. Then, even more strips of hair followed suit, until Anna's fiery red hair became a cold, deathly white. The loss of color spread to her summer dress, and even Anna's skin bleached rapidly. Soon, all she saw was an ice statu-

Elsa closed her eyes. Memories. They're just memories. Anna is safe, and Elsa is happy. She has no reason to shun anyone away. She is perfectly fine... right?

_Sure._

Kristoff and Anna stood in front of Elsa, where Sven's stable was located. The two were hiding something behind them.

Elsa raised a dark eyebrow; no offense to the horses, but the smell was getting to her. "Well?"

Kristoff announced as he sidestepped, "Meet one of my many stepbrothers, Helge!"

It's a plain old moss-covered rock. Kristoff and Anna had been blocking the queen's sight of an small boulder. Elsa crossed her arms at them, and pulled her mouth to one side. She was not amused.

Anna sighed in exasperation. "Helge, wake up! Get up! I'm still annoyed at you!" She kicked it lightly with her foot, but stumbled and fell to the ground. Kristoff knelt down to comfort his girlfriend, who was beginning to speak indecipherable obscenities, while Elsa watched in shock as the rock stood up on stubby legs. It brushed hay off of itself, and bowed at her, it's moss cape and tunic swishing.

"It's you..." It had the features most trolls sported; short stature, a tangled mess of hair, bulbous nose, wide ears, and rocky skin.

"Your Majesty, I am humbled to be in your prese-"

"You were one the trolls who planted the idea to have me locked away for good!" Elsa suddenly screeched.

Perhaps because, at some point in the past thirteen years, Elsa was beginning to resent her life, even more than usual. It's a teenage thing. And, to be fair, it lasted only a few weeks or so. It's a wonder how Elsa eventually managed, or she would have set her palace into a miniature ice age years ago.

During that particular, special time, as well as upsetting the King and Queen, developing a distaste for obvious displays of freedom, and turning food cold too quickly, she began blaming trolls for her misfortune. That livid Elsa came forth from the Ice Queen, like an ugly monster rearing its head, and rising from within her internal darkness. She hated the little stone creature, angry at it for removing Anna's memories of magic, angry for telling her and her parents to control her powers.

She shot a blast of magic beneath it, and icicle spikes lifted the creature well above the ground. Anna and Kristoff yelped in horror, blabbering objections that did not quite reach the Queen's ears.

Elsa was expecting the troll to be afraid for its life. She was stunned instead when the troll nodded, and said to himself, "Good, good. Her spirit has improved."

Helge's eyes widened, and he focused onto her, his eyes genuinely repenting. "In advance of Grand Pabbie, the Troll King, as one of his protégés, I apologize for the tragedy we trolls had befallen upon you and the Royal Family for years."

Elsa continued to stare hard at him. The air was frigid, and the breaths of everyone inside the stables came out as thick steam. A few of the horses nearby whinnied nervously.

"Despite all of the help we have given, all of our advice, we are not perfect," Helge explained. "We're very well learned on love and happiness, hence the title of 'love experts.' We trolls are ill equipped for everything else in human nature, unfortunately. Grand Pabbie was the wisest, but he is not the perfect guide; none of us were good enough to assist your condition." He bowed his head with shame and self-disappointment. "We made the same mistake many nights before with Anna, when she was suffering a frozen heart. We cannot forgive ourselves for these egregious errors. We were just not human enough to consider the ramifications."

_Not human... enough?_

"Now please, place me down." An edge of panic began to creep into Helge's voice, and he wiggled his thick toes frantically. "I feel much, much better if my feet are at least touching the floor."

Elsa lowered her arms, evaporating the spikes, and covered her mouth in shock. In her rage, she had nearly hurt somebody again, when she promised herself that would never happen. The implications of her actions mollified her. "I-it's okay," she stuttered weakly. "It is all my fault, I-I thought I had my temper under control."

"Not at all," Helge said lightly, waving a hand at her. "I see no need for an apology; that is just another reason why you people are so gifted."

Elsa looked at Kristoff, who knew trolls best, having been raised by them and all. If there were any stories he told that the queen doubted, she doubted them no longer. The mountain man shrugged. "They're a pretty upbeat bunch, the way I figured it. Not the type to hold grudges and such."

* * *

><p>As they entered the castle, Helge's turned to the Royal Sisters, his moss cape sweeping to a side. "Now that night has fallen, we must head to the library. I can also be able explain the day's happenings, as you wish. Be warned, you might not like the answer."<p>

Olaf bounced up next to the troll. "Why are you named 'Helga?' Did your parents hate you or something? Or is it this some troll thing you have going on?"

"Of course I have a name. A name is one of the most important pieces of identity and honor that can be bestowed upon you, and gifted at birth no less! It's not for just trolls, it's for everyone who has a sense of self; you too, my friend! Without my name, I would be nothing."

Olaf turned his head backwards to face the young man walking behind him. "Um, Kristoff, I don't think Helga heard my question properly."

Elsa thought of Anna's note, right before she went to town. "Why did you prevent my sister from coming with me?"

"Excellent question. I will be very honest with you, my friends. Today," he spread his hands apologetically, "was an exercise. I had to keep Anna and Kristoff hidden from you to force your development and growth."

Anna opened her mouth to make a cutting remark, but Helge slashed the air his hand, showing he's not finished. "You have to understand, without a companion like Anna, you would have to come to your own conclusions and develop bonds to serve as a substitute. The Royal Visit has been conducted the way it is to strengthen your heart. Both Kristoff and the Princess are very well-developed in their spirits, Anna especially, so they will certainly be prepared for what is to come."

Everyone stumbled, made a double-take, and stared at the troll. "What is coming?"

"I will attend to that request shortly. Right now," he motioned Elsa forward, so she could stand in front of him. "Let me have a look at you, Your Majesty."

Elsa stiffened at the sudden demand, but she knelt down hesitantly in front of the troll. Helge gently placed a hand on her forehead, and another on her chest. She could feel his large, granite-like hands on her skin. They were rock-solid, and produced no body heat whatsoever.

"I am not as good at memory magic as Grand Pabbie is," Helge admitted. "But I can still see that you have done very well, for now." He relaxed, and allowed Elsa to stand back up. "I was beginning to fear that I have made the wrong decision, as have Grand Pabbie unintentionally done for the Royal Family."

He straightened his posture, as best as a little troll could. "Fear not, Queen Elsa. You are no longer required to be apart from your family. From now on, it is best to be with the ones you cherish the most."

Elsa felt several slight, warm weights behind her, and looked back to see Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf placing a hand on the queen. Each and every one of them expressed their faith and belief in her with their eyes. Wherever Elsa goes, however she ends up, they would always be there to follow and support her. Elsa gave them the most appreciating, loving, and happiest smile that she could muster. She loved them, and they knew it.

Helge nodded with approval. "That would be the library, I presume?" The troll pointed at a pair of doors at the end of a grand hallway.

"That would be correct," Elsa replied. She was not particularly looking forward to come inside, mostly because she's already had her fill of books back in that corner of town with Frode.

The troll hobbled in front of the doors, and hopped a little with his right arm reaching upward. It came down along with a sigh. He looked at everyone behind him pitifully. Simply put, he couldn't jump.

Olaf scampered over, giggling happily since he could help, and opened the door for Helge.

"Thank you, Olaf." Helge scuttled into the library, darting his head back and forth between the shelves, and the hundreds of books that have settled in them. "Are you aware of Arendelle's Royal Ancestry?"

Elsa's reply of "Yes" collided with Anna's cheerful "Nope!" simultaneously. Elsa sighed and rolled her eyes at her baby sister, who looked back sheepishly.

"Then I believe you know of Adam the Adventurer, of Ravendall?"

"You mean King Adam the First, of Arendelle?"

"Precisely."

The little troll walked to the most remote, dust-covered part of the library, spotted exactly what he wanted, and jabbed a finger in its direction.

Elsa frowned: she had not reached this section yet in her own bored readings.

Kristoff walked over to the troll's side, following his finger, and stepped up to a book shelf. He carefully pulled out what Helge wanted with one hand, and nearly dropped it in shock. Before it could fall to the floor with a thunderous "WHUMP!", Kristoff dove in to secure a grip, with both hands this time, banging his head lightly against the books shelf as a result. The strong man staggered at the book's absurd weight.

"Woah! Man, this thing might be as heavy as you, Helge!" Anna tittered at her clumsy boyfriend, who in turn replied with a goofy grin.

Elsa, on the other hand, held her breath. This book had a cover made of aged sheep skin, the runes on its binding dating back hundreds of years. Several scraps of papers jutted out of the tome's pages haphazardly. The book looked ready to fall apart at any moment. Miraculously, despite Kristoff's handling of the thing, it held itself with surprising integrity. This book...

It belonged to the late King Akthar of Arendelle. It was the book Akthar always brought with him to his daughters to tell bed-time stories, before the Closed Gates.

Elsa gazed at it with a sudden intensity and hunger, desperate to relive her happy childhood, before her powers could have ever hurt anyone, before she ever had walking nightmares that would sometimes keep her awake for several haunting nights, before she was afraid of the very ice that she created, before her parents...

Elsa's eyes watered, blurring her vision, and threatened to pour down her cheeks. She covered her lips with a tremulous hand, and choked back a sob. Anna and Kristoff watched Elsa with concern, and quickly stood in front of the young queen, so they were all Elsa could see.

A minute passed by before Elsa could regain her composure. "I... I-I'm sorry for being this e-emotional, everyone." She sniffled.

Anna's voice was soft and gentle. "Just let it go, Elsa. It's okay to cry. Holding it back never helped in all of these years." She gave her sister a much-needed hug, feeling Elsa shiver in her arms. "I miss them too," she breathed, "but we'll be here for you."

_Anna, you're such a strong, brave girl, stronger than I could ever be. Mother and Father would be so proud of you, they would have loved you so much..._

Over Anna's shoulder, Elsa saw the troll lifting the book with ease. He looked slightly distressed by what just happened, but Elsa dipped her head to him.

With his necklace of blue crystals and a singular yellow clinking together, he explained further. "Adam the Adventurer was famous for combating various monsters and mythical beings when he was alive."

"They were real? I thought those were make-believe stories Fath-" Elsa hesitated. She saw them. Three years ago, the two parents who loved her with all of their hearts smiled reassuringly to their terrified daughter, before they parted for a trip by boat. She closed her eyes for a long second, and reopened them.

The smiles had actually belonged to Anna and Kristoff.

"-they were stories that Father would tell us as children."

Helge's face twisted into a scowl, not necessarily at anyone. "You see me now, eh? You should be lucky trolls are fond of humans. There are many others, thousands even. Most hate the human folk." He tapped lightly on the heavy and aged book. "This had belonged to Adam, once. One of whom he was, ahem, _acquainted with_, is coming, and if we don't stop it soon, Arendelle would be destroyed down to its last child."

He looked around at the stunned faces, his own eyes widening with realization. "Oh no... Subtley. I was supposed to have 'broken the news gently,' no?"

* * *

><p><strong>This chapter was actually pretty hard to produce. Not really because of its length (but that made self-editing quite the pain), but because of several other factors.<strong>

**For one, I wanted to make the interaction between Frode and Elsa, two awkward people, believable. I'm pretty sure I failed horribly, but this chapter works well enough for me.**

**For another, this was actually of bit of self-therapy for me. If you can't guess what that means by now, it means I'm shy, aggressively so. I even became a Nietzsche Wannabe to justify my weakness. In my freshman and sophomore years, rumors spread that I was deaf.**

**...yeah.**

**Thirdly, I had to make sure this chapter didn't feel like it had a "people should just pick themselves up and work!" attitude. Because life's just not that simple. I freaking wish it did; it'd certainly make for less internet debates. **

**Besides, not everyone can be successful in a world that values extroverts. You're expected to be a leader, to be bold in the face of adversity, to talk and make connections, to crush others actively in competition with a thirst that can only be quenched by success. **

**And then there are the guys who'd rather relax at home and read when the day is done.**

**For now, I'm going by what my mom said, translated from Chinese: "It's important to know _when_ to go outside of your shell and comfort zone to make a difference in life."**

**Fellow introverts, hang in there.**

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen._**


	6. Ch 6: A Stone Heart

**Hello, fans of _Frozen._ As of yesterday, I have hit the 50-follower milestone. I would like to thank everyone who decided that they needed to see this story to the end, and I sincerely appreciate that fact from the bottom of my heart. Seriously, I love you guys. If you people were in person, I'd give you the tightest hug a kid with self-esteem issues and a habit for navel-gazing can manage.**

**Funnily enough, I have always, _always_ wanted to write a sci-fi action series, fighting scenes included. ****Thanks to _Frozen, _I will probably never realize that dream. W****riting for fantasy came much, much more easily to me, possibly because I have a crippling need for guidelines in a world. If I wanted to do science fiction, I would be compelled to try make it as realistic as possible while still including large combat robots, which is just not fun (for reasons known as physics, which I always founded tedious last year).**

**For fantasy? Just Google a little, learn a some**** background info, and throw everything you just learned away. A Fantasy is _your_ world, you can set your own rules however you want it!  
><strong>

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><p><span>Chapter 6<span>

A Stone Heart

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><p><em>You are really going to force Elsa and Anna to fight it in the Helheim?<em>

_The rules of the reality do not apply in the spirit. Where their magic and skills will be hardly able to touch it in Earth, that will not matter in Hel._

_It's influence will spread wider._

_As well as its capabilities. The demon's strength will also be less concentrated, understood?_

_...What about Arendelle?_

_...Its people must remain._

_What about Kristoff?_

_...He must remain._

_Pabbie... this is a severe gamble. Will Elsa be ready by then?_

_I can only hope, Helge. I can only hope._

* * *

><p>For the first time since the sprouting of its first sapling, the forest was silent. Most animals had either wisely evacuated the premises, sensing something alien that was haunting their part of the woods now, or hid, a futile effort in the latter case. The stars have disappeared from the very sky itself, leaving an inky void above.<p>

The Troll King found little need differentiate sound or motion to find his target tonight. He didn't have to determine between a mouse and a footstep, a deer and a man, or anything of the sort. Rather, he focused on trying to find something, anything that was an anomaly to the current, unnatural stillness of the forest.

The moon was at its highest position when Pabbie finally caught something in his eyes.

It hid behind the trees bordering Arendelle's mountains, a shadow enveloped in a deep, grey smog that spilled downwards, and washed against nearby rocks.

The Spøkelse of Ravendall took a slow step forward, its features and figure indecipherable from the dark miasma it produced. Besides a vague silhouette of something that walked upright, there appeared to be no arms, no eyes, mouth, or body. It moved as if it was underwater, ponderous and deliberate. Even more shadowy mist came forth, first desaturating the grass beneath it, then leaving behind trails of dark rust.

Pabbie tapped his staff into the ground, sending golden sparks that danced energetically on the soil around him. "You have come, monster."

_I am no monster_

The words were heavily modulated and full of inconsistencies, making it difficult for the shaman's ears to make simple conceptions. It was as if one had listened from one end of a hallway, and several thousand choir members from the other side decided to sing a familiar tune off-key, off-time, and off-volume, until the original melody was near-unintelligible.

"Then surely, you must have a name," the Troll King reasoned. "Otherwise, a monster you shall remain."

_you blabbering pebble _

_you have already delayed me long enough from seeking justice with your irritating walls and wards_

"'Justice' is far too heavy of a word to be used here," Pabbie chided. "You are merely pursuing a grudge with a man who is long dead, and at peace with himself."

_his loathsome legacy remains_

_here you stand defending it_

_your light have splintered and mangled my hands until they were stumps_

"I would have to commend you then," Pabbie said neutrally. "Not many creatures of Power are able to break them apart through sheer force alone. I expected them to last longer, even to one of your power and stature."

_enough with the niceties _

_I knew you were trying to lead me here_

As expected of the Spøkelse's intelligence; from the very beginning, the purpose of the wards was to prevent the demon from reaching Arendelle before clashing with Grand Pabbie first. The Troll King had only so much power to distribute, especially on Earth; the creature is guaranteed to break through and reach the kingdom, no matter how much energy Pabbie invested in one, two, or infinite wards. The ghost could have invaded from anywhere as a result, possibly before Grand Pabbie could intervene and buy enough time.

Instead, Pabbie had covered the landscape in a labyrinth of wards the last night, with specific weak links and points at certain locations, to force the Spøkelse to close the distance between it and Pabbie. In other words, he expected the demon to be baited into breaking the wards where they were at their weakest, instead of investing time and expense on a much more fortified section.

True, he had not intended the creature to reach him this early into the night, but he will have to make do.

The monster growled, smoke jetting out of where its torso shouldv'e been.

_step aside_

_my quarrel is not with you_

Pabbie tightened his grip on the crooked wood of his staff. "I know what you are after," his voice boomed, as crystalline as the mining harvest of the Valley, "and that is why you shall not pass." With one hand, he pointed at the monster. "Turn home, friend. For the first time in three centuries, be at peace."

_what does a troll cursed with a simple facsimile of what people call their_ humanity_ would want from such pathetic mistakes_

"What you call a 'simple facsimile' is how I was able to use my abilities against you," the troll rebuked. He softened his voice to one of admonishment. "And why must you call yourself a "mistake?" You are fortunate to have been blessed with the full gift yourself."

_shut up_

_this is my last warning_

"And this one is mine as well." Pabbie slammed the end of his staff to the ground. Wisps of golden light, shining brighter than the moon, sifted from the soil underneath, slithering around him like the lightest silk ribbons in a summer breeze. They were made of his magic, memories of joy and cherished moments he shared with trolls and humans alike.

With one hand, he pointed a shining quartz at the end of his stave to the figure. "Turn back, child. You have weakened yourself against my defenses, and I do not wish to see you in any more pain that you are suffering now."

In response, a hollow sound vibrated in the air, increasing in intensity. What Pabbie initially took as breaths were actually screams, long past any capabilities for vocals. Pabbie's large ears started twitching in irritation, and he covered them with his stone hands, as the Earth began to rumble beneath his bare feet. The trees behind the Spøkelse rustled wildly, shaking leaves down as thickly as snowfall.

The disturbances arrested immediately, and the Spøkelse roared, erupting rust-colored exhaust violently from its entire being, until its vague silhouette was no more. The Spøkelse, now a miniature typhoon of foul air, whirled around Pabbie in a twisted ring, the eye of the miniature hurricane. Lifting his staff's light up for a better view, Pabbie could see vague faces against the light from within the smoke, howling in fury until their voices were indistinguishable from a gale.

The Troll King turned and stepped in place, his beady eyes darting from side-to-side for an attack. He heard the straining of a bowstring, and spun in its direction, his moss cape swishing in the air.

A crossbow bolt, colored so dark it was more black than auburn, buried itself in Pabbie's staff. It hit with a quiet "thunk", and vibrated in place. There was something unpleasant about its shape. Or perhaps, what was inside it...

The shaman cautiously tapped the bolt with his finger, and felt a repulsive sensation grip his heart, as if a chunk of ice, slow to thaw, had settled in his chest. There were faint, unfamiliar images and voices pressing against his mind as well, but Pabbie's stone heart dulled much of their clarity and edge. Even so, the troll understood the source.

Memories.

Until then, Pabbie had been maintaining his poise as he dealt with the creature. He knew it was a truly pitiful thing to exist, one who actively refused to part the world in its death. It was furious at the world for the cruel hands of fate that had toyed with its life, and now seeks blind revenge while absorbing others in its hate.

Such spirit of the Spøkelse of Ravendall's type, if not caliber, needed consolidation.

But...

"These bolts..." He focused golden light, his distilled pride, around his hand to form a gauntlet. Pabbie grasped onto the projectile fully, crushing it in his hands. The weapon splintered into pieces, and caught yellow flames before burning away into nothingness. "They're are made of the memories and despair of your victims!"

Memory Magic had always been Grand Pabbie's forte for centuries; he spent scores of years perfecting the enchantments when he was still a wee little troll, until he was so capable of mental operations, with such deft skill and ease, he could bypass the incompatibility between trolls and the rest of the world's inhabitants. It did not matter if he had to work on a human, a golem, a Fae, or even a mountain; he trained until such little things like separate species did not matter. He was even able share memories and emotions just from mere skin contact.

Thanks to his specialty, the Troll King had assisted hundreds of people; trolls, monsters, and humans alike. Those who came to seek him in the Valley of the Living Rock earned his assistance without pay. He would heal battle-weary soldiers, victims cursed to see things that were not meant to be, lift trauma, and replace tragedy with love and happiness. He cannot calm the minds of everyone who asked for his aid, but he could at least alleviate some of their pain, make their internal struggles easier to overcome.

For Pabbie, the mind was sacred and fragile; it was The Troll King's job to maintain its sanctity, and clear out the nightmares and curses that could threaten it.

To see the Magic of Memories, an art he used for his entire long, long life, centuries upon centuries of use for healing and joy, _perverted _into a dark weapon for evil, repurposed to maim instead of love, to strike fear and despair to their targets until they lose all hope and sense of being... The Troll King's hand shook with silent fury, his mane bristling with this grave insult. The Spøkelse sickened him.

Pabbie was no longer in a mood to banter. With his words, he made a direct attack at the monster. "I know who you are. This is, after all, _your_ iron."

Even more bolts shot out from the fog. Grand Pabbie coated his entire staff in light, and twirled it like a baton. The arrows bounced away harmlessly, bursting into even more cinders that will show no trace of their existence. From the corner of his eye, he saw the darkly auburn glint of a blade from within the smog. Pabbie alternated on one stone foot, and darted to the side in a roll before an iron spear, elongated and cruel, pierced the space where the King had stood on.

_you know you cannot fight once the sun begins to rise_

Grand Pabbie contemptuously crushed the scorched spear in his hand with ease. "If that will be the time that I leave from this world, I would gladly fight on until I'm nothing but rubble."

_I cannot allow that_

From within the rust-colored vortex emerged a figure, clad in a simple plate armor that shone wickedly in the moonlight above. It was tall, taller than any human Pabbie had ever seen before, if he could call it that anymore. When it drew closer, Pabbie could see that there were _thin__gs_ inside the openings of its outfit, too obscured by a shroud of unpleasantly grey smoke. It breathed audibly, puffing out a dully grey mist from the visors of is helm. In the Spøkelse's gloved hand was another spear, a massive and dreadful thing whose blade curled at odd angles.

The creature spun the weapon once in his hand, and thrust at the troll, faster than the human eye could see, a slight "pop" accompanying the jab. Dust kicked upwards in a wave, by force of the impact from iron against stone flesh. The Spøkelse of Ravendall snarled, knowing his weapon had reached its mark. The dirt clouds finally settled, and...

There the Troll King stood, strong and defiant, his right hand gripping hard on his staff, and his left intercepting the spear's blade. Its vicious point had struck Pabbie right in the middle of his palm, piercing his stone skin, and the little being winced. Not out of pain from the injury, but from even more memories worming its way into his heart. It was only because of the natural incompatibility between humans and trolls that he could continue his mental processes.

The Spøkelse pushed the blade harder into the shaman, its armored fingers motioning to twist deeper.

_even something like you would not try to buy time unless_

_ah_

_you believe you have a plan that can defeat me_

Grand Pabbie creased his eyes, but said nothing.

_if you had them run_

_I will hunt them down_

_one by one_

_until no more can people scream_

_until no more can humans voice out their curses and despair_

_until no more can little children breathe to cry_

_Prince Adam's hard work is _mine _to exterminate_

_"_You've hurt him, you know," the Troll King said quietly, soft compassion weighing on his eyelids.

_shut up_

_he was one who commenced this hatred first_

Pabbie's voice grew harder. "Ah, you're acting more like the wounded child you-"

_I cannot believe I am wasting my time talking to you_

The shadowed figure twisted his waist, jerking his armored upper body hard to the right. Pabbie's heavy body was thrown off of his feet with ease, and he stopped himself from tumbling by prostrating on all fours. His staff tumbled a fair distance away, the crystals lights adorning it winking in and out of existence, until all of the glow was gone.

_you are not affected by my fog_

_I cannot hurt you_

The monster kicked the troll over, flipping Pabbie upside so he was facing the sky. He raised an armored hand, which dissolved back into a vague shadow that somehow stood out against the night sky. It exhumed even more thick smog than before.

_I am just going to have to read you_

The Spøkelse shadowed hand dove with terrible grace, streaming ash behind it in a neat arc, and plunged its way into Grand Pabbie's chest.

* * *

><p>Pabbie was no longer in battle with an angry demon.<p>

He was sleeping back in the Valley of the Living Rock, at the very center of his comfortable home. He was awoken by his fellow trolls and young grandchildren, all of them babbling something about the King.

The memory of Akthar's father was what snapped Pabbie awake instantaneously. He hurriedly snapped his cape on, and rolled towards the waiting Royal Family. Immediately, he could sense that something was wrong; an unnatural chill had hung in the air, especially around the King's two young daughters.

After he had done what he could for poor young Anna, he turned to her older sister, Elsa. The one who was born with Winter at her beck and call.

"Listen to me, Elsa, your power will only grow." He raised his arms to call forth lights, made of the memories he had removed from Anna, and his own understanding of human nature. Everyone present could see the silhouette of a beautiful woman, surrounded by an adoring audience; the projections looked at the lady in awe as she called forth a massive snowflake that floated gracefully in the air.

"There is beauty in your magic... But also great danger."

The snowflake became spiked and jagged, red light bursting outward like lightning in a thunderstorm. The troll shaman could see young Elsa's gasp fearfully in the scarlet flashes. The projection of the audience became twisted and red as well; they swarmed upon the young woman until she vanished.

"You must learn to control it. Fear will be your enemy." Pabbie grimaced. He knew all too well about human fear and witch hunts, although the care of Elsa's parents might suggest that attitude was losing its foothold. Young Elsa hugged closer to her father's chest for protection.

"No," King Akthar said, remaining as determined and resolute as Pabbie remembered him since he was a small, foolhardy child. "We'll protect her. I'm sure."

The Troll King watched the Royal Family with the rest of his companions, as they mounted onto their horses and rode off into the darkness of the forest and night. He could hear the trolls besides him discussing about this sudden visit, some more concerned than others. However...

Something was severely wrong. A tiny little figure stood alone, desolate and sad. Pabbie could hear tiny, weak sobs, and the girl quaked and shivered with sadness and fear. Frost spread out from her feet, covering the stone and moss floor in sharp needles of ice.

_Why on Earth would they leave Elsa here?_

The Troll King looked around in confusion, realizing the rest of his troll family had vanished. There was no one in Valley besides him, and the girl. The silence was only broken by the Little Elsa's crying.

Pabbie walked forwards slowly and cautiously, ignoring the icy needles beneath his feet. They are made of stone, after all. Elsa showed any signs of noticing him.

Grand Pabbie tugged on Elsa's hand, and immediately recoiled. A chip of ice had emerged from the contact, which bloomed into a thick coating of frost that spread its way up the shaman's arm. He tried scratching it off desperately, sending chilly petals sprinkling to the ground, but more and more ice encased his rock skin, creeping its way into his body.

Elsa turned, and both troll and human stared at each other, eyes wide in horror. Elsa's hair sprouted outwards, until they were a tangled platinum mess that fell down her back. Her face elongated and morphed into that of the Queen's features, albeit one that was agape in pure, feral terror. Her startlingly icy blue eyes were wet with bulbous tears. Elsa grew in size and height, moaning horribly in pain. She clutched at her chest, shaking herself violently from one side to the other. The fabric of the child's clothing was straining and stretching, trying in vain to fit the growing girl.

She writhed, and her garments split and tore apart at the seams. Elsa frantically clutched onto the rags in an attempt to cover herself, her eyes darting back and forth in anxious paranoia. She transformed into a naked, frail shadow of what she could have been; an absolutely stunning and gifted woman. She couldn't be considered one though; she was just too hurt and shattered for her beauty to show.

Grand Pabbie's body was completed trapped in ice now, a tomb to represent his failure to help the one who would have needed him the most. He watched Elsa helplessly as she gave a subdued yelp of terror at him, and scrambled out into the darkness beyond, her rags flapping in the wind.

Pabbie stood alone in his Valley now, alone, voiceless, and serving penance for his poor prediction and neglect.

* * *

><p>The Troll King opened his eyes, and woke up back in his home, once more. He scratched his nose, idly noticing that there was no ice limiting his movement anymore. <em><br>_

"Grand Pabbie! Pabbie!" he heard his grandchildren cry. "Kristoff brought a girl home! Isn't that neat! I think he wants to ask you to bless their marriage!"

"Alright, alright," Pabbie groaned. "I'm up, I'm-"

Pabbie's wild hair stood on its ends. The air... it's been thirteen years...

Pabbie rushed as quickly as his age will let him, the Aurora Borealis shining above him as he rolled. He heard the distant singing of his family, no doubt to encourage Kristoff and the lucky woman to marry. Even so... there's strange magic going on in here. He must find out what was disturbing him.

Pabbie stopped himself on a steep hilltop to observe the cheerful chaos below. His family had truly pulled out all of the stops for this one, as they were doing full choreography, flowers, and wedding props. They even dressed Kristoff and his lady with two traditional troll wedding outfits, fitted for humans. Where they had produced the measurements and tailoring in such a short time, Pabbie was not too sure.

The trolls have placed the couple at the wedding altar in plain view, and Pabbie's heart plunged into despair. This woman, whose hair was partially red and white...

_It couldn't be. It just can't. Years of good judgement..._ If she truly was what Pabbie thought she was, then Pabbie would never forgive himself.

He rolled to the center of the valley, where his family had dug a trough for Kristoff and the woman to marry in. In front of the couple, Pabbie stopped on his feet, and his heart sank even lower; she was only five at the time, but he recognized her as Princess Anna, of Arendelle. She had become a beautiful lady, one who vibrated with life, and strained to keep a smile going with her eyes and rosy freckled cheeks, despite her weakened body. In any other situation, he would have remarked that she would make a good spouse for his Kristoff.

Once again, in spite of all the precautions, all of his experience, Anna had been cursed with ice magic. She was exhausted, and Pabbie could see the formation of a white snowflake in her blue irises, a stark contrast to what remained of her fiery red hair. He held Anna's shivering, ice-cold hands in his, forming an empathetic connection as was his usual diagnosis. He felt its chill pierce his own heart, in another body.

_No, no. No, please! This cannot be true!_

His worst fear has been realized. After thirteen year, despite what he believed to be the correct advice and recommendations, Elsa was not able to control her magic. For the first time since he became King, Pabbie's knowledge and experience had failed him. Right in front of him, an innocent young Princess freezing to a cruel death, was the grave price of his sins.

"Anna," he said, his chest heavy with both Anna's internal suffering, and his own. He just couldn't believe... and here she was. "Your life is in great danger. There is ice in your heart, put there by your sister." He almost crumbled into dry sobs as he continued, terribly regretful for what he has done. "If not removed, to solid ice will you freeze, forever."

His mind raced with every possible method for recovery, but he has only ever learned of only one, vague solution, one that likely was the _only_ cure.

"What...? No."

Kristoff, his beautiful, brave, adoptive human grandson, panicked. It never suited his usually cool and collected features. "So remove it, Grand Pabbie."

What the Troll King said next nearly destroyed him, made him curse himself for being such a weak, incapable, moronic old fool. Pabbie explained, "I can't. If it was her head, that would be easy. But only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart."

As the trolls, Anna, and Kristoff considered the logistics of True Love, Pabbie's head was filled with dark shame. He had failed the late King and Queen. He had failed Elsa, who was fearful enough to have lost control and done _this_ to her sister. He had failed Anna, who remained unsafe despite all of the trouble and isolation she had gone through. He might as well have cursed Anna's heart himself.

He saw Kristoff lifting Anna out of the makeshift wedding chapel. They have been talking about this Prince Hans, who Anna had been engaged to. Pabbie frowned in thought at the two. So Anna did not truly love Kristoff after all.

He watched Kristoff as he carried Anna out tenderly, and his mane suddenly stiffened in suspicion.

The man was Kristoff no longer, but a shadowy outline that continued to hold onto the Princess. There were no remarkable attributes or physical qualities about it, for Pabbie had never met this man.

As Anna slowly leaned in for a kiss, the shadow dropped her to the ground, as one would callously treat a piece of luggage, or perhaps cargo. She fell with an audible thud, shocked into silence. The shadow walked away for her has she screamed at it, confused and betrayed.

Pabbie tried to rush over to help the Princess, but he couldn't move. He looked down and saw that his body was encased in ice once more. He was lame and pathetic. The shaman could do nothing but watch as Anna huddled to herself and her cloak to maintain what little body heat she had left. But he could just leave her alone; how else can a King face himself after doing absolutely _nothing_ right for thirteen entire years?

"Princess Anna! Just... just stay with me. You are not alone, I will be here for you," Pabbie rambled, nearly driven to madness. "Please, Anna, hold on! Help will come soon..." She did not hear him. Every shiver, every mumble, every whimper for heat stabbed Pabbie's stone heart like a mining pickaxe.

A minute passed in a slow crawl, as Pabbie was tortured again and again with the sight of the broken girl.

Finally, she succumbed to the curse; her chest was the first to turn to ice, followed by the rest of her body.

"No! Please! I'll do anything! Somebody! Help her! Anyone!" But Pabbie knew that was useless. Everything that he had ever done was fruitless as of late. Anna was now a lying ice statue, pure and utter despair expressed in her beautiful, eternally frozen face.

_If I had never helped, if I had left them alone, none of this would have happened. Why did I even bother learning the art of Memories?_

The floor was suddenly veiled by a grey mist that drifted, almost as if it had a mind of its own. A haunting whisper fluttered by Pabbie's ears. It sounded almost... surprised.

_you placed your hopes in these desperate sad failures_

_your failures_

_you broke them_

The Spøkelse! This isn't anymore a memory than it is a nightmare!

Pabbie shut his eyes, and blocked out his surroundings until he could hear, see, or feel nothing anymore.

The shaman concentrated within himself, until he stood in an empty void, without any ice entombing him. Even mired in his internal darkness, Pabbie had several decades of meditation to manage his emotions, to understand them. This was not the first crushing regrets he suffered, and they certainly won't be the last.

_None of this is real. These may be my mistakes, but I can recover from them. It is not too late for me to help them. For their sake, I must escape. _

Pabbie's magic relied on recollections of the past and the feelings they carry, especially those of love and happiness. It is the emotion trolls feel the strongest, after all. He focused on his most joyful memories; the ceremony that made him leader of his people, decades of singing and caring for his family, and the first night he helped someone who was not a troll. A little girl, that person was, stumbling in the woods while crying for her mother. Pabbie was very young, only age thirty-two back then, and he was looking for some fungus that he heard from his peers could enhance his magical capabilities temporarily.

Because he was still in training, he was only able to review her memories as if they were still portraits, and very fuzzy ones at that. The incompatibility of the two hearts did not help at all, rendering such memories near-worthless. The two had to determine exactly which part of the woods she had described in her mind, which way she faced at the time, retracing the girl's steps, and going in wild circles until they reached the end of the forest, a human settlement within sight. The girl kissed Pabbie on the nose out of appreciation, and waved back at him in the distance as she ran home.

He never saw that little lady again, but from that day forth, he studied harder than he ever thought he would in twenty years of tutoring, determined to help any creature that came to him for help, incompatibility be damned.

Then, he recounted another human of whom he knows very well; his beautiful grandson, Kristoff, and his friend Sven. Bulda had brought them in after the Royal Family visited the Valley. The blond little boy was jumping with utter excitement when he realized the two best friends will have a new, loving family to replace the one that was lost, years ago. Then, Pabbie remembered the pride he felt for the boy when he learned Kristoff had taken his first job as an ice harvester. The Troll King truly revered the boy gifted to his family, and celebrated for an entire night when the Valley's residents learned their adoptive boy had been taken in by the Royal Sisters, finally accepted into a home where he truly belonged.

Now, the Spøkelse of Ravendall's influence was not so overwhelming anymore. Pabbie's memories, a bright, sparkling golden flame that licked at his insides warmly, spread out in a wash of ambient light that evaporated the ghost's smoke away into oblivion. Just as Grand Pabbie was empowered by positive emotions, the demon cannot help but abhor them with every fiber of its being, its attacks and illusions included. Pabbie knew he must fight on, and make up for his past miscalculations to the Royal Sisters, of whom he owes so much.

_I will not fail you this time._

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><p>Pabbie eyes snapped open, finally conscience. He was back at the borders of Arendelle once more, lying on dirt. Not too far away, the Spøkelse of Arendelle was panicking, waving its arm in pain as a golden flame burned it, chewing away armor as a fire would consume paper.<p>

Coughing slightly and catching his breath, Grand Pabbie's alert mind instantly comprehended the reaction. Despite the armor, the weapons, and sheer power the spirit possessed, it clearly feared the emotions that drove Pabbie's magic. The monster hurriedly produced grey smoke that coated the yellow conflagration, drowning and snuffing it out with its despairing fog.

The Spøkelse noticed the Troll King coming to, and more smoke jettisoned out from its hands with gusto. It gathered around the troll shaman's body, and coalesced into hundreds of dark, iron spears, spanning from every direction. They blotted out the moonlight, forming their own pitch-black sky, complete with the glints of multiple blades that replaced the vanished stars.

_I hated Adam _

_but he was at least a challenge _

_let us see how his broken little spawn fare _

The Spøkelse flicked its wrist, and the many spears sank into the ground, forming a caged outline of the little troll. They interlocked messily with each other, quivering slightly from their impacts. Pabbie found himself unable to budge from his position.

_Escape, before he disappears... _Grand Pabbie's fingers brushed an iron auburn bar, and set it alight in yellow sparks. The fire spread quickly, charring more and more enchanted metal.

The armored spirit, taking the opportunity presented now that the Troll King was incapacitated, dissolved its form, once again becoming a grey sentient fog. It collected into a dark mass, roughly the size and shape of a small boulder, that settled gently onto the dirt. The spirit then rocketed from its position with an incredible shockwave, creating a deafening crack of sound that reverberated throughout the forest, kicking debris everywhere, bending back trees and branches, and striking Pabbie's makeshift prison, creating an incredible ringing din that mixed disagreeably with the sonic boom. Miasma streaked behind the Spøkelse as it soared over Arendelle's high mountains, a dull comet in the night sky.

Grand Pabbie watched the spirit as it made its course, and lowered his head in despair and disappointment.

Once again, the Troll King has failed. His knowledge proved useless. His limitations were too great. The night was still young. The Spøkelse was not sealed. It had won.

It would reach Arendelle within hours.

_No! There's still hope!_

Pabbie glanced at the staff lying on the ground. He almost never used the thing for years until today, but he crafted it with his own two hands, early into his leadership. The yellow crystals and aged wood that made up the staff were rare in quality, designed to amplify and control his magic abilities. It was what gave Pabbie a fighting chance against the Spøkelse in the first place.

The staff took the shaman nearly a decade of labor to finish and put to use.

After this sealing enchantment, he would have to spend another decade of work.

Grand Pabbie pulled himself free from the cage of spears. He ran and picked up the staff, its crystals relighted and shining bright. The troll shaman set his body and posture into a stance, and murmured in Ancient Norse. He flicked the staff in various geometric polygons and angles, then into glowing runes that remained etched into the air in front of him, before aiming the staff toward the grey comet in the dark sky.

Pabbie needed a link to the Spøkelse, to guarantee that this will work.

Without moving his staff away from the target, Pabbie swept a near-perfect circle into the dirt with his stubbed toes. He knew the Spøkelse's true identity, although it was never recorded by human memory. Grand Pabbie had to go through a lot of trouble just to hear it from a stubborn elf hermit. By speaking its name, he can direct this seal to the very heart of the darkness flying above.

This part needed no runes or incantations. All he only needed is the identification. Pabbie opened his mouth, and breathed.

_**"**_Hólmgeirr._**"**_

The Earth began to moan a deep, hallowed resonance. Golden light sprouted from the soil, the woods, the rocks, and from Pabbie himself. They snaked their way into the crystals of his staff, until the minerals shined with such brilliance and heat, The Troll King was nearly blinded by their intensity. He held tightly on the staff, which was now vibrating against his fingers from all of the energy stored within, threatening to escape his grasp.

The runes, an old poem commonly sung in the realm of Hel, spiraled and elongated, whispering their pronunciations as they whistled in the air, before collecting into the staff. A high-pitched trill, loud and sharp as a magnified birdsong, pierced the quiet of the night, and the miniature suns the shaman had restrained exploded spectacularly. Shards of yellow quartz flew in all directions, and the wood splintered into dust and shavings beneath Pabbie's hands.

As his arms lowered, what was left of his staff now useless trinkets, Pabbie watched as a dazzling lance of golden lightning, trailing sparks behind, and infused with his will to imprison, chase the smoking demon down, a harpoon for the great monster. Both vanished out of sight behind a mountain peak.

"I'm sorry, child," Grand Pabbie spoke sadly, exhausted. The stars, now uninhibited by dark magic, returned to dotting the night with their twinkling brightness. "From now on, you will have carry out your misguided efforts on foot." He looked up at the skies to determine the time, pinching a yellow crystal on his necklace. It was cut from a much larger piece, its sister located a few hundred miles away, in Arendelle's Royal Castle.

_The Spolkese is now locked in Helheim._

_My role in this plan is done._

_The Royal Family will have two days left, not three._

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><p><strong>Would you guys kindly review on this chapter, please? I'm serious this time. Not that I want to ruin anything, but this is essentially a preview into what you can expect of soon. Still plenty of fluff! You can guarantee that, but yeah, this is important.<strong>

**I need to know every way possible to improve this thing, or else this will defeat my entire purpose for writing this story. So please, _please_ review, like, or fav. Doesn't matter if you don't have an account, I need some advice and encouragement.**

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen._**


	7. Ch 7: The Past is in the Past

**All rights go to Disney. Keep up the good work, you money-grubbing dream makers.**

**Oh, I nearly forgot to credit the lovely FrozenRose1 for volunteering to edit my work. I have no idea who she **(turned out she is a girl) **is, but a person who offers one needed help for no return has to be a wonderful person.**

**As of now, this is my first proof-read chapter. Hope you guys enjoy it!**

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><p><span>Chapter 7<span>

The Past is in the Past

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><p>Anna and Olaf were not the types to be silent. They were the kind of people to continue bouncing off the walls with their boundless optimism, providing relief to the dour silence that permeated the castle walls at times. For years, in Anna's case.<p>

Both of them remaining completely motionless at the same time was unthinkable. Yet here they were, speechless.

Of all people, Kristoff was the one to shatter the silence. "So, we have a bit of problem, right?" He struggled to maintain an upbeat tone. "Big looming threat that will destroy the kingdom in a few days? We've done it before, sounds like something we can handle!" Sadly, his voice was too dry to convey enthusiasm.

Worried for Arendelle, Elsa asked, "Who was this person targeting Adam?"

"Not a person. A Spøkelse. One who has consumed others of its kind for centuries."

Anna raised her hand meekly. "Um... Excuse me? What can it do, exactly?"

"Anna," Elsa said, her voice guarded. "Remember the story Father told us, years ago?"

"Which one? Cause I kinda forgot... I'm sorry, it was just so long ago. I could barely remember the past years nowadays."

"It was about when Adam left Ravendall forever, Anna." Elsa replied quietly.

"Really? Now that I look at it, wasn't it kind of like when you ran up to the North..." Anna's voice faded, seeing Elsa cringe. The air dropped a couple of degrees. "Oh no... I'm so, so sorry Elsa."

"I-it's okay."

Once again, the silence descended itself upon the group in the library, corporeal and suffocating.

"So what," Kristoff said, once more breaking the ice, "what would reading this book do to help us against this old ghost?"

Helge raised a disappointed eyebrow at his foster brother. "Kristoff, I thought we taught you better; learning more about an opposition will give us a better idea on how to manage it."

"Hey, I listened to Mom on how to travel through the mountains safely. I wanted to harvest ice, not become a schoolteacher..." Kristoff replied indignantly.

"Why waste your talents with solid water? You had the brains for it, and you were so eager to learn when we first adopted you. For some reason however, you continued to follow those ice harvesters. You could have been a shaman, even! You just needed the..." Helge began to bicker with Kristoff about the importance of the mountain man's education, almost nose-to-nose in their confrontation.

Someone cleared her throat loudly. They snapped their heads to see the Snow Queen, looking down on the table so she wouldn't have to focus on their eyes. She looked almost apologetic.

"E-Excuse me, may I just... take a look at this book?"

Helge widened his eyes, forgetting about his argument. "But of course. It belong to you now." He lifted the book above his head respectfully. "You are the Queen of Arendelle, after all."

_It was your parents. You are the queen._

Elsa held out her trembling hands, and felt her fingers wrap around the rough covering of the book. She nodded at Helge, who released the book from his hands. The tome dipped down like a stone, and her back strained as she prevented it from touching the carpet floor.

The extreme weight of the book did not surprise Elsa, at all. She was just a weak, timid little girl after all, desperately trying to imitate the ease and poise that her father always seemed to carry with him. She knew she could never handle the book like her parents did.

Another pair of hands swooped to catch the other side. Elsa tilted her head up, and saw Anna beaming at her. Her arms strained heavily with the weight, and she assumed a stance with hunched shoulders and widened legs, completely undignified in her poise. Nonetheless, she eased Elsa's burden.

"Anna..."

"Kristoff wasn't kidding," she said, trying to contain her laughter. "Is there a table nearby?"

"I don't think a mere table could support that monster..." Kristoff muttered, but he quickly slipped a desk between the sisters. Helge and Olaf scuttled to place some chairs for everyone.

With a cry of effort, Anna and Elsa released the book. There was only a few centimeters between the volume and wood, but the resultant sound was thunderous, rolling through the rows of shelves and empty halls.

Helge stood up from a plush chair. He drank in the book's aged grandeur, not at all bothered that it was a mess of paper within. "More than three hundred centuries of human history..." he said, in complete awe. The little troll gave everyone a look, and opened it gently.

Dust shot everywhere, unbidden and unrestrained. At least three years collection of dry powder sent everyone into coughing fits. Olaf grasped his nose and sneezed, launching his head to the other side of the royal library. "Oh my, give me a bit." The snowman fell to the ground with a muted thud, and rolled its way to the missing cranium.

"Just like old times, I suppose?" Elsa gagged. She blinked and looked at the open pages. She saw short notes littered everywhere, almost covering the actual manuscripts. One of the pages contained a looping handwriting, and Elsa heart came to a stop.

How long had it been, three years or more, since she had seen that particular way the letter "g" was curved? On documents, on letters to other countries, on little notes of love. She followed that letter, watching with fascination as it turned into a stanza of a poem, beautiful because of the person who wrote it.

She flicked her eyes to another page. These different, flowing curves, for a time, had accompanied her in lonely nights, when the pale moon reflected itself against mirrors made of ice. They were made by hands that tutored Elsa on how to tie her braid into a bun, hands that held Elsa aloft as a little girl, hands whose warmth no longer existed.

Elsa wanted more. She longed for the last evidence of her parents' existence. She wanted to take that book from Helge's hands, steal it away with her into her room, and lock herself for hours on end, reading these pages over and over again until she could almost see the King and Queen themselves, standing on solid ground and smiling. Maybe she could even talk to them, tell them just how much she misses them. For all she knows, this book may as well be the closest thing this world has to revisiting the dead and gone.

"Elsa."

The Snow Queen shuddered, and blinked rapidly at her concerned friends. She had been wrapping her arms around herself. A fine layer of snow rested on the table, except where Helge used his body to cover the book. Any moisture would have probably damaged the book beyond repair. Anna and Kristoff were shivering slightly in their summer clothing, exhaling mist. Frost had bloomed at her end of the table, starting from her shaking fists, forming crystals that shimmered in the moonlight.

_Focus._

There is no use in learning more about her parents. The fate of Elsa's kingdom was far more important than her pathetic, wishful pining. "E-excuse me, everyone. I'm sorry." The snow slowly withdrew back to her, before vanishing in thin air.

Helge snatched a piece of ice before it could disappear, crunching on it audibly as he flipped the pages, sending even more dust flying away that settled on the table.

His fingers came to a stop nearby the very beginning of the old tome. "We've reached Adam's diary." He tapped on a section that contained archaic scribbles. "Now, Grand Pabbie had managed to estimate when and where Adam the Adventurer first came across the Spøkelse of Ravendall." He lifted a sheet, and looked at both sides. "He focused the date down to around a few months, and these entries appear to be a weekly event..." He peeked into a section deeper in the book. "Beyond this, it's a complete mess."

Elsa saw Kristoff narrow his eyes at those words.

"Alright..." Helge frowned in concentration. "Here we are. This was his first time exploring the Lost Woods of Ravendall... Well, got lost in it, really. He only made it out because he met a Landvættir... nothing special there. Oh, on his second time, he made friends with a few ghosts! Imagine that..."

Anna and Elsa were young at the time, but developed enough cynicism that they hardly believed their Father was being serious about Adam's stories. Still, they remembered something Akthar mentioned one night when they were together, a remark that passed over their heads.

_Ghosts are born when people don't accept their deaths, or are really unaware. Ravendall was infamous for teeming with apparitions, because the Lost Woods just happened to provide a... sufficient atmosphere._

"Tried petting a reindeer, nearly got himself gorged..."

"Hey!" Kristoff snapped. "I would have you know that reindeers are perfectly nice-"

"And you indirectly kiss one regularly. We know." Anna covered her mouth to hide a smile at her boyfriend, as Kristoff's face flushed. Elsa herself never really thought of Kristoff's occasional habits in... _that_ particular way.

"Made a bet with a ghost one day to climb the highest tree as quickly as possible, only to end up stuck there..." Helge continued.

"How did he come down?" Anna chirped.

"He fell off when he accidentally offended an elf sitting at the highest branch. He had mistaken her for a very beautiful ghost, and was slapped into the nearby lake."

Anna giggled slightly at the thought of a man (looking a little like Kristoff) given a flying lesson. "Prince Adam wasn't exactly the type to think things through, was he?"

Elsa allowed herself to smirk. "Not unlike a certain sister..."

"Elsa!" Anna whined.

Helge pointed at a date. "Ah. I think this should be within a month of the incident. Just what we were looking for." The troll cleared his throat. Here we go..."

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><p><strong>Page 65<strong>: The King, was being extra thick today. The whole time last night, he repeatedly told me, his overblown purple cape following behind him and trailing dirt all over the carpeting, "Do NOT reenter the Lost Woods! I am in no mood to have my little brother killed! This is my final warning!"

Normally, I would find that a perfectly reasonable, if albeit ignorant command.

_"How old is Prince Adam at the time, exactly?" Anna asked._

_"Seventeen," Helge replied._

_"What!? Younger than me at the time? That's totally not fair..."_

_"Anna, you know better than to interrupt." Elsa broke in._

_Helge rolled his eyes and continued with the entry._

I was beginning to regret telling him that the trade routes running through Ravendall's forests were coming up with more and more disappearances. I've been working my best to protect my people as Prince, but... there's only so much one man can do. I'm getting tired. I nearly lost a man to pack of wolves yesterday. That's why I told Trigve in the first place, to send the message that forest shortcuts are no longer safe.

I didn't even mention about the decreasing ghost population, or else he would just toss my news aside as his typical brother's "attention-seeking."

Trigve would never know about the condition of Ravendall's land himself; he's always too busy in his room, doing whatever kings are supposed to do these days. Every time I see him, he is buried in forms after pacts after treaties for hours on end. He really needs to find himself a wife fast, before he implodes from starvation, or crushes himself in paperwork.

I was on my way to the weekend business with Guðmundr. Boy, I really wish he left his home at times; the path I walked on was intended for dwarves, and it showed. The sun was being extra cheerful today, shining so brightly it penetrated the usual cool shades of the forest, replacing every color under the trees with an emerald monochrome. I sweated through my armor and heavy as I squeezed myself into tight and low places. I severely wished I could bring Applelsin here; he should be the one doing all the waking. Dwarves. They never bother to clear away tree branches higher than my belt level. I can't ride on horseback, and I'm carrying venison over my shoulder, for crying out loud.

So, as I hauled the fresh reindeer-

_"Kristoff, would you please stop? I'm trying to read here."_

_"He'll never touch Sven. I'll be here to make sure he won't," Kristoff promised to himself._

_"Adam's dead though," Anna pointed out._

_"Enough, you two. Helge, please proceed."_

-As I hauled fresh rein... _venison_, the heat and the thick branches threatening to smother me to death, I examined the trees on my right for a relatively small oak, one with a weak, gimpy lowermost branch. I scratched my name and an arrow in it months ago, to prevent me from forgetting the direction of Guðmundr's place. I don't really need such markings nowadays, but I've had some close calls where I nearly got lost recently; one can lose his footing if not always on guard in these woods, and I'm not interested in turning into something as depressing as a ghost. Gloomy things.

I followed the tangent formed by the arrow on the trunk. It did not actually point to an real pathway, because Guðmundr wasn't the kind of person to like being found.

Finally, I found myself in an open space completely free of trees. It was like a grass-filled crater, formed as if an entire, perfectly circular patch of forest was scooped out with a utensil. It's a relatively small pocket, but the temperature was always comfortable, the grass is softer than the finest feather-downs, and the wind creates the most soothing of melodies as they pass through the canopy of trees.

A lonely ash tree, paradoxically the size of a man, and older than the entire forest, stood at the very center of this opening, with a round patch of dark earth resting besides it. I sat in front of the ash, and dropped the meat to the ground.

"Hey, Treeshield, you up yet?"

_"Treeshield?" Kristoff asked sceptically._

_"Oh right, It is a rather strange word." Elsa answered. "...Father said it was a nickname."_

_"Hey Elsa? Loving the ice, but be careful." Anna said gently._

At first , there was no response. I looked left and right, and gently rapped once on the trunk. I kept my eyes peeled for anything around me. The guardian doesn't mind that sort of thing himself, the knocking, but I have enough of well-meaning faeries trying to protect their warden. Stupid little buggers with their pine pins.

Still no response from the old geezer. I sighed, and went to work. I dug a pit out of the patch of open earth, leaving the black soil aside in a pile. I stood up hacked off a limb from the ash with my sword, and looked at the stump remaining behind. I whistled low; it never failed to impress me whenever I see a bud sprout out instantly; this ash was the resting place for a Landvættir. The cut arm should be back in full size before my next visit.

Something tapped me on the shoulder, and I whipped around, partially drawing out my sword. I stumbled backward, trying to get a good footing so I can attack properly. My back hit the ash, and I was faced with the forest guardian himself.

He had the face only his mother could love, if he ever had one-

_"Do they have mothers?" Anna piped up._

_"Anna." Elsa said, exasperated._

_"Maybe they only have dads! I wonder how is that supposed to work..." Olaf's voice trailed off, and he scratched his head, puzzled._

_"Frankly, I've never met one myself. You should go find out." Helge lightly suggested._

-It was as twisted an gnarled as a piece of old driftwood, full of wrinkles and swirls that turned towards odd directions infinitely. They wrapped around his facial features and nose, twisting their way down his neck, and the rest of his hobbled body. Parts of his skin was covered in lichen, imitating liver spots. A wisp of dried, brown, hair-like substance hung from his chipped chin like a goatee, but in reality was just piece of moss. He had nothing else on him, not even a toupee made of grass. Instead, he possessed a dome, but he didn't have a smooth and shiny human pate. The thing was as gnarled and jagged as the rest of his body. His arms and shoulders looked no better than his face, and small stumps of what could have been branches stuck out like sore thumbs.

Overall, he didn't look like someone you'd hug, for fear of getting splinters.

I hugged him anyway.

_The snowman came over to Elsa's side, his stick arms spread wide. "You are magical yourself, being a Snow Queen and everything, but at least I think you are huggable."_

_Elsa couldn't help but smile at his cheerful sincerity._

"Why do you always have to vandalize my home, Adam?"

"Quiet. You enjoy the smell of charcoal anyways, boss." I split the branch into smaller pieces with my knife, and arranged them into a tidy pile on the circular pit of dirt. I took out my flint, and turned towards him. "A little help?"

The Landvættir huffed a little. "What happened to you months ago when I first met you, crawling desperately on your belly? You were so courteous. Humans, these days..." Still, he snapped his fingers.

I struck the flint once, sending a couple of sparks onto the woodpile. It burst into flames instantaneously, as wild and as intense as a compact forest fire.

_"Fires don't work like that, right? Kristoff?" Anna asked, looking up to him._

_"Not with fresh wood like that. Must've been magic." Kristoff replied evenly._

As I waited for the wood to be converted into charcoal, I skinned the reinde- "sigh" _venison_, and separated the desired meat from its innards. I buried the organs beneath the ground, nearby the ash tree, and stuck a large chunk on a spit. I sprinkled a bit of seasoning that was stored in a pouch just for these occasions. The smell of the venison, combined with the herbs and wood of the ash... absolutely amazing.

The Landvættir sat at the base of his tree, watching the fire with patient eyes. To an outsider with no knowledge of his resting spot, he would have appeared as a particularly overgrown root, a tumor attached to the ash.

I poked the meat, and took it from the stand. I inhaled, taking in the rich aroma, before biting down on the roasted venison.

I swear to you, this flavor only improves with every bite. The juices and the fat melted on my tongue, sending waves of pleasure down to my stomach. Hearty flavors settled into my stomach, and I haven't even swallowed yet. Every visit to ol' Guðmundr always began like this for the last half a year. For a moment, I stopped thinking about how tedious he could be at time.

I gestured to the Landvættir with the meat. "You want 'un, Treeshield?"

The guardian, his voice always as dry as the rest of his wrinkly body, responded, "You know I have no use for those things."

"Alright," I said in mock surrender. "Suit yourself." I finished the rest of the reindeer.

_"You said it."_

Satisfied, I laid on my back, and watched the leaves rustle in the summer breeze. I drew a flagon from my pack, and poured myself a cup. I downed the thing in one go, feeling a sweet, burning sensation wash down my tongue and settle in my stomach, delicious and strong. My throat tingled pleasantly, as I walked over to pour a little on the ash bark itself.

The Landvættir's eyes twinkled a little. "Mead, this time?"

_Wait, what? He's seventeen, and he could drink something like that!?" Anna blurted out. "If he can, why can't I?"_

_"Anna," Elsa retorted, "you know why I cannot have you nearby anything stronger than the chocolate fondue."_

_"But Elsa..." Anna whined._

_And I'm suspecting even fondue is too much for you," Elsa said, a mischievous smile tugging at the corner of her lips._

_"What!?" Anna shouted, horrified._

_"Complain again, and I will tell your boyfriend here about the last time you were tipsy."_

_Kristoff raised a hand. "Hang on, I'm interested..."_

_"Kristoff!" Anna exclaimed._

_Helge looked up from the book once more. "Can we get back to the story?" he interrupted._

"Yep. Nicked from my brother's storage." I swigged a little more from the bottle, watching the trees dance in the summer breeze with appreciation. "I look forward to fall season a few weeks from now. When the leaves change color."

Guðmundr pursed his lips. "Maybe I'll have you paint the leaves when the time comes, Adam."

"That... actually sounds pretty nice." I sat up. "So, what's today's work, Guðmundr?"

The spirit crinkled his eyes, the closest expression he ever had to a smile. "A land Draugr decided to settle in the lower West Banks. Care to clear it out for me?"

I groaned, full of the meat, the mead, and his demands. "I swear, Treeshield." I pointed an accusing finger at him. "You know what, I think you are just trying to kill me sometimes." I buried the cinders in the fire pit with the dirt, so the burnt wood was one with Guðmundr again. The Landvættir sighed with appreciation.

"Yeah, I bet you'd like that, wouldn't you..." I grumbled.

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><p><strong>Page 66<strong>: Too exhausted to write: guy was a Draugr for a reason. I smell. Tired of the King's inanity. I'm going to sleep."

_"For an "Adventurer," he sure does complain a lot," Anna remarked._

_"So what, he's technically that forest guardian's errand boy?" Kristoff asked._

_"Not necessarily an "errand boy", Kristoff, but the description is apt enough. Apparently, that was how he managed to survive in the woods for so long. Protection for services. It just so happened that Adam the Adventurer made a powerful ally." Helge explained._

_Kristoff nodded. "Let's move on, I wanna hear more."_

_"Good to know someone appreciates history." Helge responded._

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><p><strong>Page 67<strong>: I met a boy today.

_Kristoff raised a finger, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Wait for it..."_

No, that didn't sound too special at first thought for me, either. Children are rare in the forest, thankfully, but I would meet the occasional one. They were always happy to see others, blissfully unaware about their own demise.

_"I knew it. From mundane to creepy in four sentences." Kristoff said accusingly._

_"Kristoff!" Anna giggled._

At times, they can be mistaken for dancing elves, even in solitude. They were... I can't say happy, that would be absolutely monstrous of me. But, they were easier to approach and inform than their... adult counterparts. They can move on to the Great Beyond incredibly easily, their hearts not yet weighed by years of regret and anger.

Which is why I was alarmed to find this boy, alive.

I first found him swimming out of a riverbank, deep in the dark shade of the forest, shaking his head and wiping water from of his eyes.

I've never seen anyone like him; he must have been sick at some point, as his wet hair, plastered to his skin, was grayed severely. I took him for an older man, until he swam to the other side of the river, showing a backside that had no pockmarks, and no wrinkles. He was very short, and possessed only the clothes on his back, if they could even be considered clothes anymore. His outfit consisted of rags that was more clumsy patchwork than fabric.

I heard him yell in frustration. The child's voice cracked in three different parts as he said something unintelligible.

Why would a boy be in Ravendall, all alone, and outside of the human safe routes?

Even still, how did a boy end up this deep into the Lost Woods, alive and breathing?

I would have approached him out of concern, even if it wasn't Guðmundr who first alerted me to the boy's presence. As he was putting on his tunic, I called him out from the other side of the river.

"Excuse me, boy," I said. "This a very dangerous place! Don't you have a family to go back to?"

The boy took one look at me, his pale eyes stunned, and scrambled to flee.

I looked down at myself, seeing my sword in my hand. I had been using it to clear paths and obstructive branches. _Blasted fool,_ I thought. The child must have thought I was going to kill him.

"Wait, I'm just trying to help you, come back!"

Not even bothering to sheathe my sword, I dove into the water. In spite of all of the heavier equipment on me, I managed to swim across with remarkable speed. My leather padding sopping wet, I chased after the child.

The boy left tracks in his path that were easy to identify; footprints, broken twigs, disturbed bushes, the works. Within seconds, I saw a streak of storm-grey hair that bounced in its own wind. The child turned around, seeing me in hot pursuit, and inexplicably pumped his legs even faster. He sped by a battered oak tree covered in a multitude of deep gouges, lifting leaves off their resting spots with his drift.

My blood ran cold at the very sight of the scarred tree.

"Wait!" I screamed desperately, "don't go anywhere further! Just..."

It was too late. An ear-splitting noise, deep and powerful as the thunder in the skies, shook the ground beneath me. I doubled my speed, cursing the entire situation. The boy had gone and attracted the attention of a bear.

It was a monstrous thing; its shadowed pelt covered thick rolls of pure muscle and fat, and it's teeth gleamed in the sunlight, yellowed and surgically pointed for death. Its ears were tucked low, its claws were unsheathed, and the bear stared down at the source of his anger, dead in the eye. It knew it was king of this territory, the top of the food chain, and he wasn't letting some scrappy kid, paralyzed by the power it emitted, challenge its authority. It leaned its thick limbs backwards for a pounce.

It was going to kill the child.

"What have you done, boy?" I shouted, as I brandished my sword. I swung at its side, and the bear grunted in surprise, now aware of a new challenger.

It was more nimble than I expected it to be. I thought I had struck a hit, but the only thing my sword had split was empty air. The bear hopped sideways to avoid the blow, and roared at me as well. Spittle flew rabidly from his mouth, scattering everywhere in front of him, and I could smell the awful stench of the bear's halitosis. Covered in bear saliva, I grabbed the scared child and shook him, seething. "I wasn't going to hurt you, unlike fuzzyhead over here."

"I just panicked!" The boy squealed, his face completely colorless. "I thought you were going to kill me!"

Kill you?

Ah. The sword.

The ground shook as hundreds of kilograms stomped over and over again, knocking over undergrowth and kicking up leaves that parted like a spray of water.

"Bear!"

Less questions, more bear-fighting. I threw his small body as far away from me as possible, and leaped back. A brown shade of lightning zoomed by, its tailwind threatening to knock me off my feet. In that moment, I was close enough to feel its coarse fur lightly caress my nose, its musk threatening to overwhelm me with its concentration.

Trying not to imagine what would happen had I been a millimeter closer, I screamed and charged while its back was against me. I tried analyzing the situation, hoping it would lead to an answer that would not leave me or the child in ragged pieces.

Bears, contrary to most pub stories, are actually rational beasts. Sure, they don't seem to have any laws governing them, and Mother Nature gave bears one too many gifts for them to be easily enforced. Big build, sharp teeth, powerful muscles, sharp teeth, daggers for claws, thick hide, sharp teeth, and sharp teeth. If they want to eat, they will eat. If they want to kill, they will kill.

At least a year under Guðmundr taught me differently; Bears are easy to terrify. I've learned to run off bears several times by just waving my cape. I've even seen one run away at the sight of an indifferent forest cat.

It was the middle of the summer time, with plenty of food available, and this bear looked too well off to be anywhere close to starving. If it was merely startled by the boy, I will just have to scare the beast back into running away. Easier said than done, but it's a neater option than trying to kill the thing. I won't be able to protect the child, and I can't guarantee that I will make it out alive, either.

The bear opened its mouth to reveal wide jaws, great vices that would easily crush both me and the boy's head together in a grip. It would be like pressing apples together in a mill.

This day just keeps getting better and better.

The bear moved one of its powerful arms in a blur, and struck me. My sword slipped from my fingers, and I flew sideways, unable to know when my feet will touch the ground again. My back and head slammed into a tree, and I nearly blacked out. My cranium rang like a bell, my wits completely dulled and disoriented. In hindsight, the head injury must have saved me from the agony my back was certainly experiencing.

Check for wounds.

The first thing I did upon mental revival was feel for my chest. I poked into the cut leather with trembling fingers, terrified of any other damages the bear could have done.

My finger touched several links of chains underneath my tunic. Small sections had been torn loose and bent. I concluded that the bear's claws had snagged onto my chainmail. So, instead of being filleted like a prepared fish, I just took a surprise flight trip several meters away. I leaned my head on the forest floor with a deep sigh, relieved that I was mostly unhurt.

Then the ground quaked, as more than half a ton of angry bear stormed toward me.

Of course it had to go after me, at this moment. Stupid, stupid Adam.

It displayed its powerful jaws once more, ready to kill me for daring to confront it. As it sped forward, I gave a world-weary sigh, unable to tell myself to run away. Why bother, when it will easily catch up and shred me to bits? Its hideous mug was only a few centimeters away...

I heard yelling, sharp and cacophonic, from a distance. The bear focused its beady black eyes elsewhere, and I followed suit. There the grey-haired boy was, waving a fallen tree branch, with fresh green leaves still attached, as if it was a flag. He was shouting his voice hoarse without a care in the world.

I thought he had lost his mind. The entire point for me intervening with this creature was because I did not want a dying child in my conscience. Here he was, drawing attention to himself like a freshly cooked steak on a platter, desperately ringing a silver bell while crying "Eat me!" If I didn't know better, I'd say he-

My numbskull brain finally sorted itself out at full capacity; he was buying me time. I wiggled my toes first, and then the rest of my legs. Their muscles were burning and aching something fierce, and I wheezed in pain and fatigue. Slowly, I slipped right between the bear's open mouth, and made a dash for safer grounds once I was a fair distance away. The bear mercifully noticed little, only grunting in confusion at the child.

The boy continued to holler, and pointed his branch to a side briefly before waving it again. I followed his direction, and found my sword gleaming, even in the shade of the Lost Woods, stuck to the hilt in a thick tree. Blasted piece of metal, trying to imitate Excalibur. It wasn't even standing upwards.

I wrapped my hands around the handle, and pulled the sword out like a hot knife through butter, leaving a clean gash in the tree's bark.

_"Wait, is the sword is special?" Anna asked._

_Helge tilted his head upwards to the Princess. "I wouldn't be surprised."_

_So if this Prince Adam really became King of Arendelle, how come I never found a cool three-hundred-year old sword lying around in the castle? We just have a bunch of props!_

_Kristoff smirked. "Because I shudder to think about what you would do with such a thing, feistypants."_

_"Hey!"_

In one smooth motion, I slashed at the bear while its back was turned. The bear howled in terror, and turned around to see that I have wounded its rump, a small mixture of dark hair and blood dripping from its edge. A backside for a backside.

The bear bore its teeth at me, its black eyes following the light of my blade. I prepared myself for a mauling; despite the sword's abilities, it was just an oversized bread knife to this animal's furry and fat butt.

The bear shook the earth as it howled once more. He sounded... high-pitched, for a bear at least. and I raised my head to see that the grey-haired boy had stabbed the bear with his branch, applying all of his weight into the strike. He thrust repeatedly, ramming himself against the beast every time, each jab earning the bear's whimper for its efforts, as he ran over to my side. Evidently forgetting he was supposed to be paranoid of me, he continued to yell incoherently and waving the branch, its end stained with blood. I joined him with my own bellows, raising my dripping sword high in the air.

The mighty bear, finally realizing we were worth too much trouble, turned tail and ran.

* * *

><p><strong>Page 68: <strong>I breathed a sigh of relief, and sagged on top of a pile of leaves, my equipment clinking noisily. I gingerly touched my back, feeling a sour pulse of pain in reaction to my touch. Nothing too serious, but it would make for an impressive bruise when I get back home. Still, I smiled at the fleeing creature making rolling echoes in the distance, now barely visible among the trees. It wouldn't return here for a while.

I didn't want to fight the bear to the death. The end result would have either end up having the boy killed, or me too weak to protect him any further. I sheathed my sword, and turned to the boy, who stared at me with fright. He didn't run this time, at least. He owed me that much.

_"He seems nice." Olaf commented._

_Kristoff scowled. "He eats reindeer."_

_"Kristoff, I think you should just let it go."_

_"Coming from _you_, Olaf..."_

I cleared my throat, and assumed the most regal stance a man with back pain can offer. "My name -ach- is Prince Adam of Ravendall, and you are a complete fool for running away from me. If I haven't decided to pursue you, you would have just been one more ghost in these woods."

"I-I'm sorry," the boy said meekly, his filthy grey hair drooping as low as his demeanor. He flicked his eyes to my scabbard. "Is it okay if I tell you my name as well?"

I blinked twice. What kind of question was that? "I don't see why you shouldn't."

The boy inhaled, and stuck out an arm. "My name's Algar."

_Anna frowned. "Algar? What kind of name is that?"_

_"It's a rare one. It originated from what I believe is what you folks call England." Helge answered._

_Elsa thought of a distant land mass, located at the far end of the North Sea. "What would a boy from England do to end up in a country as far as Norway, much less Ravendall?"_

_"Good question, Elsa. Maybe's he's a lost prince?"_

_"Let's find out." Olaf suggested._

"My name's Algar."

"Where are your parents?"

He replied, rushed and clipped. "They aren't around."

"Well, Algar, I would say it is a pleasure to meet you, but my aching back is saying otherwise. What on earth are you doing here?"

"I-I-I don't know," he stammered, dropping his tree branch. "I just hear this place has very little people."

I don't believe it; I found myself a wannabe hermit. Bad choice to stay, kid.

Algar's voice gained some strength. "What are YOU doing here?"

"I have a friend who told me of someone disturbing these parts. Didn't know it was a kid as young as you here." Naturally, it wasn't Guðmundr's job to care; I had to pick up the slack for him.

"Hey, I'm not a kid, okay? I'll have you know that I am fifteen!"

"Seriously? Only two years younger than me?" I poked him in the bony arms. "You're pretty scrawny for your age..."

"Oh!" The boy blushed furiously out of embarrassment. "I'm sorry for troubling you, then. I-I'll just be away from your sight, and never annoy you again…"

"Wait, Algar!"

Please, just go away! I don't want you to get hurt!"

Yep. Either he was lying about his age, or he was cursed to retain a perpetually waifish figure. If he were older, he would still look like an orphan boy, tossed on the streets.

"You can't just go running off again, you know?" I should have been treating him with more respect, considering the small age gap, but his behavior is akin to that of a jumpy child. "You'll only end up as food for something worse than a bear. Perhaps a giant, even!"

The boy's eyes widened. " A gia-" He coughed, and tucked his hands beneath his armpits. "But... I think it's best if you don't trouble me. This is my fifth day staying here. I can handle myself."

Something grumbled with a deep bass. I looked around in curiosity, certain that it wasn't a bear this time. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Algar reflexively feel for his stomach. "Indeed, you are so capable, you can go on forever without food."

I picked up the boy's fallen tree branch, still stained with a spot of ursine blood. I drew a simple hunting knife from my belt, nothing special about it. "We've got no pole, but there is a lake nearby, with plenty to catch." I began cutting out errant twigs and leaves, intending to make a decent pole out of the branch. "I can at least teach you how to spearfish, then drop you off out of this forest. The last thing I need is to explain to myself why I left a kid to die in the wilderness."

"But-"

"Quiet, you. I'm being very generous for a prince here. Once I get you out of here, you can go on to live your dream as a hermit."

"A hermi-" I glared at the boy before he finished. His shoulders sagged with defeat. "Well…" Algar looked all around him, not particularly focused anywhere. "I suppose I could learn."

I grinned victoriously. "Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish…"

"...And he'll eat for a lifetime," Algar mumbled quietly.

Alright, now I _definitely_ have to help him.

_"Aw, Adam's actually sweet! He sounds just like you, sis!" Anna grinned up at Elsa._

_"I-I don't see the connection."_

_"He cares and helps people, even if he doesn't show it all the time."_

_"R-really..." Elsa said, slightly flustered._

_"Yeah! Didn't you shut yourself out and kind of accidently freeze summer because you wanted to protect Arendelle?"_

_"Olaf..." Kristoff warned._

_"Oh... I'm so sorry, Elsa. You can make it stop snowing now. You don't need to protect us anymore. We're happy and safe now, especially you!"_

_"...I'm very glad to hear that. Thank you."_

_Olaf beamed. "Wonderful! To celebrate everyone being happy, I'll go get some mugs of warm milk!"_

_Elsa smiled at the little snowman. There was nothing that needs forgiving. "Okay. Just don't go drinking the stuff yourself, Olaf."_

_"Don't forget cocoa on mine!" Anna called after him. She glanced at her sister. "Oh, put some in Elsa's too!"_

* * *

><p><strong>Page 69: <strong>The boy was indeed intelligent. He watched me with attentive eyes, full of a hunger for knowledge that the I myself wished I could express to my tutors, and maybe Trigve. He made sure to follow my deft movements with his new makeshift spear, practicing the motions over and over, until there was hardly a lack of clumsiness.

Within just half an hour, Algar had caught his first fish, a beautiful silver thing that was plump and juicy. Elated with his success, he nearly dropped the fish back into the lake by forgetting to hold onto it tightly. He was so full of excitement and pride, he could barely stand still as he watch me clean our catch. I showed him how to gut, to pull out gills, and to make a spit.

Throughout the entire lesson, he smiled, beaming brighter than the sun.

It looked good on him.

I laid some wood I picked from the forest floor, and tossed them to a pit I dug out. I pulled a flint from my pouch.

"Shouldn't we get some fuel to get the fire started first?" Algar looked at my belongings, perplexed. "You don't look like you have cotton on you. Hey, you can use a bit of my shirt-"

I laughed, saying, "Keep your shirt on, Algar. I have little fascination in a person like you!"

"W-what? What kind of answer is that?"

"Nothing, I'm just teasing you." I muttered a gentle word under my breath. "This wood should be more than enough to keep the fire going."

I struck my flint once, sending a single spark that landed on the pit. A great fire came forth, as intense as if it had been burning for hours on oil. Algar watched me in awe. "H-How did you do that?"

"I've got friends on the other side."

"You're a witch?"

The atmosphere suddenly became heavy. A summer birdsong was the only thing that was sharp enough to pierce the blanket of silence. The boy clasped his mouth, horrified at what he had done. My fingers felt for the pommel of my sword, and I was cautious of what to say next.

"That's a strange word, coming at me, coming from you."

"I'm sorry," he apologized. I relaxed myself, slipping my fingers away from the blade. Blasted, forest-induced paranoia. "It's just... these past five days, I saw so many magical happenings that still felt like dreams, and then you came along and save my life, and there's that thing that you did with the fire? You just seemed so relaxed in this place, you know? I was hardly able to survive, and you knew everything and how, despite not being a country man, but royalty! And, and-"

I cut off his rambling with a swipe of my hand. "Don't worry, I'm no witch." I pondered on the subject for a bit, entertaining a little fantasy about someone more powerful replacing me for ol' Guðmundr's services. "I would _like_ to meet one, though. It could get a load of work off of my back."

"...It must be nice to make and have friends..."

"You mean you've never had one?" He's just another kid, like the lonelier ones back at town who were the happiest to see me. Probably because I talked to them.

We spent the rest of the time talking about my (mis)adventures in Ravendall's Woods. I told him of the elf that slapped me so hard, I skipped like a stone on the lake surface, and the many times where I tried to comfort some ghosts so they would stop overcrowding the trees. I even described some of the messier stuff I had to do for pest control, such as chasing off a Fenrir. My back was feeling much better itself, with some roasted fish fueling its recovery.

It wasn't until we began packing up for the trip out did I approach the boy's hermit status. "So, why don't you hang around people?"

"I just don't..."

"Hm?"

"It's hardly worth the trouble."

It was getting late, and just convincing Algar to chat before was difficult enough. I raised my hands in a surrendering gesture. "Alright, alright. I won't ask... But seriously, it's not great to be alone forever."

What? I had to have my way _somehow_.

"I mean, look at my brother. He never spends time anywhere, just staying in the stuffy old castle, talking in various languages that all mean the same thing: work. He doesn't have any real friends to hang out with.

"That's why he gets on my case a lot, and hates that I don't listen to him. Every time I run off to the Lost Woods, the man does nothing but alternate between a worrywart and a workaholic. I have to prepare for a vocal whipping whenever I come home. What I say sounds foolish to him, and what he says sounds dull and trite. Trigve is beginning to fuss just as much as Mother did."

Mother. I paused myself, sobered.

What was it like, to overwork yourself day and night, with little rest? What was it like, to have no one to confide to after a long day, to have no one to feel secure with?

What was it like, to have only one family member who you can no longer connect to?

Algar and I walked on a path, one that I had discovered in my first week as Guðmundr's help, much to the delight of Ravendall's traders.

This road, one of several, contained the least amount of threats that prey on humans. They aren't perfect, especially as of recently, but paths like these cut straight through the woods with as little trouble as possible, saving hours of time. It wasn't long before we found ourselves outside, the mass of trees standing behind us. Ahead of the us were clear skies and open fields, serene and secure. The sun was beginning its daily dip down into the horizon.

The young man should do well from here. "You sure you'll be alright?"

Algar, the grey-haired boy, nodded. "Yeah. I've said it before. I can handle myself."

"Take care, then." I watched Algar as he hiked towards the open horizon, his dark silhouette contrasting against the fiery sky and grass. He could hardly take more than a few steps before I spoke to him again.

"Say... You're a little low on friends aren't you?"

The boy stopped and turned on his feet, but remained silent.

"How about I have the honor of being your first friend, Algar?"

"R-really?"

"Come on, kid," I drawled, ribbing him. "A Prince walks up to you to ask for friendship? Lesser folks would have given half a leg for such a privilege. You should be leaping with joy right now." I dropped the act, my voice sincere. "We had fun with each other, didn't we?"

"I guess..."

"Atta boy. If the hermit life no longer suits you, just find others like me. You'll be making some good companions pretty quickly!"

"I don't think most people are princes."

"Someone who _feels_ like me," I amended. Smart-aleck.

"What if..." He paused, slightly losing his composure. "What if... I want to see you again someday?"

Huh.

"I don't really know," I admitted. "Hopefully not in these woods, that's for sure. I'm sure we'll find each other somehow. You have a Prince's promise."

We stared at each other with straight faces. Then, we couldn't help ourselves. We broke into belly-aching laughter that rolled throughout the hallowed and haunted grounds. We saw it in each other's eyes; there was no chance in Hel of us ever seeing each other again. This is the fork in the road, and our brief meeting together was splitting apart into opposite directions.

That's fine with me.

"I'm being genuine about the 'friends' thing, though," I reaffirmed him.

"I know." Laughter still danced in the young man's eyes, truly happy for this eventful day. "Goodbye, Prince Adam of Ravendall."

"Farewell, and safe travels, Algar!"

* * *

><p>"Helge, were you able to find the journal entry we were looking for?<p>

Helge frowned, flipping past pages. "I hope we will soon, at least. This isn't the right date at all. I think I'm a few weeks away from the actual event, as of now." He raised his head to the blond man. "You seemed rushed, Kristoff."

"That would be because two of my friends were never raised by trolls." He gestured his head at the Royal Sisters.

Helge craned his stub of a neck to look. Indeed, Elsa was developing dark bruises under her eyes, and her posture was extra rigid and proper. She had been using her skills as a queen, normally limited to the boring political councils that would last for hours of useless debates on end with neither agreements nor compromises, to maintain consciousness. Nevertheless, several hours into the night had worn her regal disposition down, until she fought to keep her wavering eyelids open.

At Kristoff's mention of the word "friend," Elsa perked up, noticing the two observing her, and flitted her eyes between them, her cheeks pink. The air dropped a degree or two, but it was hardly evident.

Anna meanwhile, long ago had one foot in the land of dreams already. Her face appeared lively enough, but she would nod off, tilting her freckled head downwards every few seconds. Once her dainty chin touching her chest, she would spring awake with start, eyes wide, pigtails swinging, and freckles rendered nearly invisible, only to repeat the process once more. It would have been easier if she had decided to just pass out instead.

After just eight seconds, the Princess agreed with the sentiment. Completely out cold, her head flopped onto the table like a sack of snoring cabbages, startling poor Helge into falling off. A trail of saliva dribbled from her mouth, and onto the polished wood.

Kristoff was about to lean forward and wipe Anna's freckled cheeks and open mouth with a strong hand, but then became aware that her sister, his Queen, was sitting right in front of him.

Even after three weeks of living together, they hardly saw each other face-to-face; Elsa made sure to always retain enough time to spend with her sister daily, but buried herself in her private study in almost any other occasion. The mountain man would be ashamed to admit that he would prefer it this way.

It's not that Kristoff hated Elsa; he learned to love her almost as much as Anna does. In reality, he kept his distance out of doubt; he felt slightly guilty for being Anna's boyfriend, when Elsa literally owed her a lifetime of happiness together. Was Kristoff being a thief, for forcing Elsa to share Anna's precious love? Was he stealing Anna away from the sister who clearly craves Anna's affection more?

The Snow Queen's blue eyes, despite being the same shade as his loving girlfriend's, pierced his heart like sharp icicles.

He raised his hand towards Anna in hesitation, and found his confidence lacking. He tried again, but the Queen's curious stare was pushing him away from the Princess. He sighed, and settled for shaking the lady's shoulders gently.

Anna opened one eye lazily, the corners of her lips stretching from ear to ear upon seeing her boyfriend. Kristoff was nearly forced to look away from her radiance. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the Queen gazing at Anna, now completely relaxed and healthy-looking, a loving smile on her own face.

_Yet another difference between us two,_ he thought bitterly.

Helge finally crawled back onto the desk. "Everyone's wide awake and conscious now?"

"Yes, yes! I am very much awake, thank you! I am so, totally awake!" Anna piped. She wiped at her lips with her sleeve, and, with some disgust, rubbed the puddle of drool she left behind on the desk.

Helge laughed deeply, saying, "Since you guys have unfortunately not learned to become nocturnal yet, I suppose I would just have to rush through these journal entries until we find the right one, before you three expire from sleep deprivation."

"Sounds like a plan." Anna said, stifling a yawn.

He circled one page with a finger, muttering to himself ways to paraphrase. Helge would have to, because he will not be available during daylight, and Arendelle is constrained for time.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Page 70: <strong>He chased a bandit named Holger into the forest one day. Holger was very infamous for pilfering homes and attacking innocents in Ravendall, and carried a spear that he claimed was made by the denizens of Hel. Overall, he wasn't too stable. Holger didn't see where he was going, ignoring Adam's requests to stop. He fell down a cliff to his doom before Adam can save him. The Prince locked himself in his room afterwards for hours, ignoring Trigve's reasoning that the man would have been executed anyway."

"Do the two brothers reconcile?" Elsa asked quietly.

"It doesn't say...

"**Page 73: **He was hunting a stag when he was approached by a black dog, about the size of a pony. Despite its mass was very friendly towards him, and only watched as Adam shot the deer down. Adam started telling it stories as he had always done, idly realizing the dog understood his language. They make a detour to the Lonely Ash Tree. The Landvættir was not amused to see the dog when it saw the two gnawing on some roast rib; Guðmundr waved a hand, and the dog's true form briefly rippled from its apparent body. The dog was revealed to be a Flygia in disguise."

Kristoff was slightly curious about this creature. "A Flygia?"

"Shapeshifter, follows one with good luck."

"Well, Adam is pretty lucky, from what we've heard," Anna reasoned. "It would make sense, I guess."

"They could also signify a 'change in luck.'

The library was silent in response to this statement.

"Guðmundr said the same thing to Adam, warning him to be careful. Adam heads out to leave, trying to shoo the Flygia away. The faux-dog continued to follow him, until it stopped at the very end of the forest, watching Adam make his way home.

**"Page 75: **Adam is working on consoling this one new ghost, Kjellfrid. She had..."

* * *

><p>The troll's voice trailed off, leading to a very pregnant pause.<p>

"What's wrong, Helge?" Kristoff asked.

The troll narrowed his eyes, his brows dangerously close to meeting each other. "I found it," he said quietly.

He looked up at the mountain man and the Royal Sisters. "This should hopefully be accurate to how we will expect the Spøkelse to attack." He lowered his voice. "Would you like me to paraphrase this part as well, or read it in full?"

Something did not seem right about that sentence. The answer should be obvious. But Anna, in a rare moment of consideration before speaking, decided that it must be elaborated. "Wait, what? Why is that even an option?"

"Because..." Helge hesitated. "Milady, knowledge can be horrifying at times. Five years under Grand Pabbie's tutelage has granted me nightmares and dark thoughts that required the entire Valley's support to crawl myself out of." He stared off into space and shuddered at some, distant memory that he had come to term with at one point. "I will not speak of them now, for the night is dark enough as it is. I have no wish to trouble your minds at this late hour, especially as we read the last pages of Adam the Adventurer's journal. If the late King had ever told you this part of the tale, he would have been wise enough to hold back information.

"What is written in this journal may have you three lose whatever capacity you had for sleeping, at least until the Spøkelse is finally rid of once and for all. You will fear, become paranoid of any hint that may lead a possible coming. Every step, every odd lighting, even simple thoughts, you will suspect them of the demon's influence. Prince Adam turned mad when still resting in Ravendall for a reason."

He breathed deeply, and faced the queen directly. "After what I have just told you, I would like to ask once more: Do you still want the full story?"

Helge knew Elsa was endowed with great human spirit within her, just like the rest of her expanded family. The outburst in the stables was more than proof enough. However, she was brittle as thin ice, and behaved ever-so meek and tentative since Helge's acquaintance; there was something restricting within her, an internally raging storm that Grand Pabbie had feared would snuff whatever hope Elsa could muster to bring forth.

So, when she abruptly stood up from her chair and slammed her hands on the table, the troll saw a white flame licking within her icy blue eyes, impassioned, terrific, and beautiful, threatening to break free. Her face was set, her dark brows arched downwards steeply, and Helge finally saw the Queen of Arendelle within Elsa.

There is hope against the Spøkelse of Ravendall, after all.

Anna leaned closer to her sister. "Elsa..."

"I want to listen to every detail," the queen said, with conviction. "As Queen, I have to know."

If what Helge said was true, and her kingdom is in grave danger, Elsa must have a full comprehension of what Arendelle will be up against. She had firsthand experience of the dangers of what a simple misinterpretation, a message lost in passing, can do.

It cost Elsa's beautiful kingdom a monarch equally fit to rule it. It cost her parents their lives and legacy. It nearly cost her Anna.

"This will be for the kingdom's protection. If I will suffer sleepless nights or a fate worse than death, so be it." Shards of ice, glittering with a fire like diamonds, sprouted between Elsa's fingertips. They were not products of her fears and anxieties now, but a manifestation of her revealed resolve. "I will not have my people harmed by any threats so long as I'm in reign."

_I will not lose my people. __I will not lose my family again._

_That is a Queen's promise._

* * *

><p><strong>So anyway, everyone give a massive applause to <span>FrozenRose1<span>, who had done an outstanding job already as an editor with this chapter. She was able to turn my fanfic into something that was up to snuff, rather than just an amateur work with promise. **

**I'm also massively grateful for what she has done with the in-between storytime dialogue. You know, the ones that were italicized. No, she didn't actually write the talking, but FrozenRose1 pointed out that there needed to be actual dialogue markings, rather than just the words itself.**

**I thought I was being clever at the time, intending for you readers to guess who was talking to who, so I nearly shot myself in the foot that there.**

**So, I was grateful that she took the time to add the myriad of different ways to write "said." Flipping hotcakes, I could never come up with such terms that could feel fresh by myself. Rose, you saved me at least an hour of migraines.**

**I think that makes parts of this chapter hers. Credit where credit is due, right?**

**Once again, everyone give a cheer for FrozenRose1!**

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><p><strong><strong>Like, fave, comment, or whatever. Let me know how well of an editing job did you think <span>Rose<span> has done compared to my previous writings, and/or what you think of this chapter. Don't forget to answer the question!****

**See you guys soon, Fans of _Frozen._**


	8. Ch 8: Sorcery

**Once again, give a hand to FrozenRose1, who was able to turn gibberish into coherence within merely an hour or two of editing last night. Rose, you are the beta-reader that I never knew I desperately needed.**

**Oh, all rights go to Disney.**

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><p><span>Chapter 8<span>

Sorcery

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><p>"If I will suffer sleepless nights or worse, so be it. I will not have my people harmed by any threats so long as I'm in reign."<p>

_That is a Queen's promise._

Helge bowed to Elsa and widened his mouth into a rueful smile. He faced to Anna next, understandably hesitant for the young lady. "I don't see a need to repeat my words. So...?"

Anna straightened her back, looking very briefly like the queen besides her. She had ever only done this once, when she set out to bring Elsa back from her self-exile. "If Elsa agrees, then so will I."

"Anna, you don't have to do this..." Elsa protested.

Anna flashed her sister a fearless smile. "A Princess should be able to protect her people just as much as their Queen can." She bumped Elsa in the shoulder gently. "I've done it once before, and I will be glad to do it again. I am your right-hand woman, after all."

"Count me in as well." Kristoff announced, butting into Elsa's train of thought before she could argue against her sister. "It was only three weeks ago when we saved Arendelle from an Eternal Winter." He gave his own daring grin. "What can a single monster do to compare against a force of nature?"

"Kristoff..." Elsa said.

"Especially when we have the Queen of Ice and Snow on our side." he added proudly.

Anna ceased her regal and straight-backed pose, replacing it with a tender face that bloomed with endearment, her blue eyes shining bright as stars. "Elsa, just because you are the Queen does not mean you have to defend Arendelle by yourself." Anna lifted her sister's cold hands in hers, blanketing them with her palms, so Elsa could feel the sweet warmth that tingled against her chill skin and wintry powers. Anna's sister relaxed and looked down, focusing on the dainty hands that held her pale arms aloft. "Kristoff and I will be right behind you. So will Olaf, Sven, Helge, and every one of our friends, together."

Elsa's eyes grew misty, obscuring her sight, and she blinked the tears away. A vision flashed in front of her eyes, so not only Anna, Kristoff, and Helge stood in front of her, but also people of all aspects and colors of life, ranging from royal servants, to soldiers, snowmen, ice harvesters, cooks, families, and even vagrants. They were crammed tightly in the library, fighting for an open space, so Elsa could have a good look at each of their familiar faces.

_Did I really have this many people who would place their hopes in a weakling like me?_

Elsa made an effort to smile at all of them, nodding her head happily in appreciation.

Helge nodded. "I believe everyone has made their decision, then." He cleared his throat. "There is no time to delay; the last adventure of Prince Adam of Ravendall shall be revealed."

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><p><strong>Page 75: <strong>I was truly grateful for riding with my lifelong friend Appelsin that day. I owed the horse my life several times over for having not abandoned me, and remaining bold and obedient in the doorway to death. When I rode to battle to ward off an army of orcs, Appelsin was the one who never entertained the thought of running away. When we were attacked by Dark Fenrirs, Appelsin was the one who protected me from their teeth and sharp claws. When we ran afoul of malevolent hags with a serial desire for transmuting victims into gardens, Appelsin was the one who gladly offered himself as a distraction, before attacking anyway. His hooves and legs have certainly fell more monsters than my skills, protection, and enchanted sword combined.

I was truly blessed to have him for my steed, because Appelsin was a braver person than I could ever be, even as a horse. If he were a human, than he would have succeeded where I have failed Kjellfrid miserably.

She was a beautiful, innocent young lady, with hair that fell down in waves, reaching long past her back. They floated in nonexistent wind, surrounding her head in a halo of refracted light. Her eyes, despite being a common shade of brown, shone with grace that rivaled that of elves, with twice the compassion present. Her lovely face was in the shape of a heart, and if she smiled, her full lips and dimples could have melted glaciers off mountains.

That was, if she was capable of smiling anymore.

She died alone, like so many others who lost themselves in Ravendall's haunted woods. This was supposed to be my third week trying to console her.

I really detested the Lost Woods at times like this. Despite the many spoils and cherished moments that I was fortunate to receive, there were occasions where I wished I never ventured into the forest that one year ago. I was forced into a world that essentially destroyed the innocence and joy I was raised to expect from living as a second-born Prince. Being Guðmundr's aide opened me to a world of constant danger, and forced me to come face-to-face with others less luckier than I, some I recognized from the very same town squre in Ravendall, where I like to tell my stories in.

Kjellfrid was one such person, a young lady who always hung around as I told anecdotes to children. That was, until she mysteriously disappeared weeks ago. I never realized how beautiful and sweet she was until I found her nearby a boulder, broken as a discarded and disheveled doll.

A part of my regular duties was to prepare ghosts for what comes next, so they will no longer have any lasting attachment to this world. Guðmundr cannot clear them out by himself, for he was not anywhere close to human to empathize with them properly.

So, when I made the deal with him, he assigned me as, among other things, a custodian to the overcrowding ghost population. Technically, I was supposed to erase them with the sword given to me; I could use it, as he subscribed, to annihilate them as one would do with pests. They do have a capacity for violence after all; a dead person still walking is also a very bitter person, sometimes willing to lash out at others.

That is just one of the few unpleasant things about the old geezer; he's essentially a minor god, with little to no concern for things as trivial as a human's morals. He would never understand just how _difficult_ such a task is for my sanity. To use a weapon on someone who deserved only pity...

Instead, I took the fool's route; I searched for their bodies, sometimes stealing them away from the very creatures that had killed them. I conducted funerals, burying them with my own two hands. I sympathized with them, learning more about their lives before talking some sense into them, until they finally ascend and disappear from life, including mine, once and for all.

Sometimes, in the end... I still have to use the sword.

It was a vicious tango, this road that I have chosen: to make friends who will only vanish forever at the end of the day.

Kjellfrid's story was one of the more upsetting, and I can recall more sources of death than I could ever care to count: the lady was separated from her family, and had been chased into the Lost Woods by hostile men at the middle of the night. Just as she managed to escape, she fell prey to a stalking Fenrir. She didn't even know she had been killed, until I found her ghost stumbling through the woods, calling desperately for help.

She no longer spoke anymore after we found her. For real.

I entered a massive tree hollow, an old relic of an age long past. It still stood strong and proud, despite being as dead as a snag could be. I found it a fitting place to bury her body, which is why I expected her to be here.

I called her name gently, enunciating each syllable so they echoed throughout the hollow cleanly. Ghosts are very particular of their identity, being so isolated and all. Along with memories, a name and profile is all a phantom has left. Like loners of the living realm, a call for a ghost's name would have about as much of an effect on them as a small lightning strike. They will come almost instantaneously.

And yet, Kjellfrid did not respond.

_Perhaps she decided to accept her fate and move on_, I thought.

Of course, that was just wishful thinking. The girl was too far gone with anguish to achieve Ascension on her own. I touched the inner walls of the hollow, wary and unsure. More than a year spent in this forest had given me a sense that something was amiss. The air was too cold for the summer, and the blue sky, despite being clear of any clouds, was two shades too dark.

Then, I saw it.

It was a grey, translucent thing that stood all by itself, blocking the opening out of the hollow. It was not a lady. It was not a man. It did not even look like a monster. It was just this grey... blob. It had no arms to speak of, no mouth, no eyes, not even feet to stand upon. Every few seconds, the blurry silhouette flickered like a grey candle flame, briefly shifting into a vague humanoid form, before returning to an amorphous shape again.

_I remember you_

I blinked, absolutely certain that I've never even seen this thing before.

Oh, there was no doubt that it was a ghost: I've seen some that looked like melted wax models, because they were dead for so long they began to forget their own appearance. That's one of the special things about ghosts; you are what you recall, and this one must have been far, far from capable of identifying itself. I raised a finger to point at the grey thing. "Excuse me, spirit, but I do not remember ever meeting you. Are you new here?"

_spirit_

_not my name_

_I am new to you_

I winced; its voice was heavily altered modulated, like arranging an entire church choir of the most tone-deaf wannabe-chorus members in the world. At some syllables, its words shifted to dominance by a child's, other times a full grown man's, and even those of a few different women.

With its mishmash of voices and its shapeless figure, it must have lost much of its individuality. It also claims to know me, and yet I have never been introduced to it in my life.

I reflected on a little phrase I wrote in my journal to complain about my brother, weeks ago, a phrase that now made the skin on my back crawl in sudden terror.

_I didn't even mention about the decreasing ghost population..._

What if this apparition was shapeless, specifically because this figure is no longer individual? What if it recognized me because it possessed memories that did not originally belong to it?

Only one type of creature possesses qualities like this.

Only a Spøkelse could fit such a description.

Suddenly, I was very dubious of the creature standing at the entrance into the hollow, looking at me with its false innocence. A Spøkelse is a major-league threat, on par with the destructive capabilities of a rogue warlock. It is the result of at least two souls linking together, then fusing into a single form, which mercifully happens rarely. The link occurs like how relationships, not necessarily positive or negative, are formed in real life; something mutual to bind them together. Normally, this is no reason for concern, as about 99% of all the creatures in this world have absolutely no idea how to apply such a concept to deadly levels, although humans come dangerously close.

Unfortunately, ghosts are a vastly different story. As they are the product of despair, fear, denial, and rage against fate, these emotions will also be what their "bonds" consist of. In other words, a Spøkelse from the get-go would be unpleasant, and its behavior would only go downhill with every spectral addition. That is not even mentioning the amount of power it gains from consumption of spirits. Who knows how many lost souls had this thing absorbed into itself?

I rested a hand on my holster, my fingers lightly brushing against the handle of my sword. "What is your name, friend?"

_friend..._

My voice became slightly more clipped and forceful. "You did not answer my question, fellow soul. What is your name?"

The apparition flickered in place once more, twitching and jerking like an irritated flame. Whispers came from within it, an unfocused mess that could have been mistaken for a pit of venomous snakes. The mere sound gave me a compulsion to scratch an itch that never existed.

I gritted my teeth, and kept on talking. "Speak up, ghost. Tell me your name, loud and clear."

_al_

_jel_

_Ho_

_sa_

_eir_

I was not entirely surprised at this response. Despite the very real dangers a Spøkelse can commit, it is still a mixture of past lives that were never meant to fuse together. Otherwise, humans would have never been so individualized. Its mind must have been too scrambled to formulate anything, much less complete sentences. I proceeded to push further "Surely, you have a name that belongs to you?"

_You should at least remember which one of you decided to consume fellow ghosts first, demon._

_Hol_

_geir_

_Name is_

_is_

The grey creature's voice hardly changed from its warbled mess, but a sort of clarity was finally achieved, as if this screeching chorus of voices was enforced this time, rather than continue as simple chaos. Some of the multitude of hollow voices were actually speaking at the same time now, albeit still in completely different pitches and accents that grated against the ears like a knife sharpener.

_my name is Hólmgeirr_

"Right," I said affirmatively. It's given name is not guaranteed to be the culprit's actual identity; Hólmgeirr could be a mixture of names and factors made coherent. There's a chance that the Spøkelse gave its true name, the one belonging to the first spirit to reject its fate and consume another. Perhaps the true ghost's real name was in a different language entirely, and that the majority of Scandinavian phantoms in Ravendall affected its nationality. Maybe it was fabricated, compiled from the several spirits it had absorbed. Of course, it could just be simply lying. I don't see why something like that couldn't happen.

Still, I spoke the given name, making sure I pronounced each and every syllable right, every accent in a perfect imitation of how the ghost introduced itself. To confirm its name, I infused my voice with the mental equivalent of reaching out a helping hand. Not to help the Spøkelse (the monster was as much to ghosts as cannibals are to people), but the poor unfortunate souls that are trapped within it. "_Hólmgeirr_."

For a split second, the ghost shook violently in place, rather than just flickered. The amorphous shape spewed a darkly grey mist from its entire being, so the I was able to have a glimpse inside.

I nearly threw up at the sight of the Spøkelse. Its core, its true self, was a bald, twisted little figure, made of a grey and lustrous material that could have been iron. Its body glowed dully against the sunlight entering the tree hollow. Angry patches and welts covered what was supposed to be skin, looking like regions that have been worn down by years of rust. Its teeth was the only body part that appeared to be actually organic, yellowed tombstones set in its metal gums.

The thing knew it was hideous; it covered its face behind severely rusted hands, and stared at me with empty eye sockets in horror and shame as it peeked through its skeletal fingers. It shook its hands desperately in front of it, clawing for the mist to withdraw back within itself. I peered, and saw faint faces in the grey smog, their empty eyes and mouths opened in anguish, but no sound came forth from their lips. Once more, The Spøkelse was a featureless, shapeless grey shadow.

All of this happened by just speaking its _given_ name.

I bowed slightly to the Spøkelse, without diverting my eyes for a single instant. "I am Prince Adam of Ravendall. We are currently in Ravendall's Lost Woods, and I have a business to run." My fingers wrapped around the handle of my sword, gripping it tightly. "Have you seen any fellow ghosts nearby here?"

_yes_

_you are Adam_

_how can I forget_

"So... you do know?" I took a tentative step forward, closer to the monster standing in front of me. I was careful not to let my boots crunch and turn over dead leaves and compost.

_yes_

"Then I have something to ask of you, friend." I drew my sword slowly, conscientious to make myself appear as little as a threat as possible, as if I had no intention of ever using it against the Spøkelse. The blade shone brightly without reflecting any sources of light, and illuminated the entire hollow as a burning lamp could have done. I pointed at the ground, a somewhat fresh rectangular patch of dirt, where a sweet girl's body was buried, and my voice turned hard. "Where. Is. Kjellfrid?"

Once again, the spirit flickered, drifting from side-to-side rapidly. A faint echo bounced off the tree walls, a delicate voice that was smothered almost immediately, before it could free itself from the demon's babel

_Adam _

_friend_

_she is not tucked in an empty tree all by herself anymore_

_she has a new people to belong to_

_no longer alone_

My eyes widened in comprehension of these words, and my fists shook with hostility. The gleaming sword rattled as I glared at the Spøkelse with complete hatred. "You monster, you've devoured her!" I screamed.

_no_

_I helped her_

_I have given her a home_

_everyone is united_

_she is no longer alone_

_I am no longer alone_

_Kjellfrid was able to achieve companionship_

You did nothing of the sort!" I spat acidly. "What you have merely done was locking an innocent girl away from ever moving on from this world. You have trapped her in a prison of isolation and depression until the very land of Hel freezes over, unless exorcised by force!"

The demon moved backwards, shock somehow evident in its shapeless figure. It was taken aback by my sudden ferocity.

_I have been helping like you did_

_these souls are now forever bonded_

My entire body was shaking in fury. My heart pumped against my head in a raging drumbeat. Not only was this Spøkelse a monster, but it was utterly abhorrent in its stupid, childlike outlook in its death. "'Bonded,' sure, if what you really mean was 'bounded in thorns and manacles!' You are only prolonging their suffering! They shouldn't persist in that maelstrom of despair within you!"

_oh Adam_

_what can you possibly know about humans_

_Are not they social creatures_

_no matter how miserable their pitiful lives can be_

"Shut up." I seethed. "I'm regretting that I ever wasted my time talking to you." I pointed my sword directly at the demon, in absolutely no mood for this joker. "Be at peace, monster, and release those who you have chained and suffocated within you."

_no_

_no_

The Spøkelse's form was wavering severely now, even shivering, as one would expect a candle flame to do if a strong breeze was set to exhaust it. I can see a silhouette of the creature, shrouded in a miasma of despair, clutching its head like a broken patient, writhing in internal agony.

_I am not alone_

_I do not want to be by myself again_

_even if I have to endure with loathsome humans_

"Weren't you human, too?"

_I have long discarded my humanity_

_I was always a monster_

_no longer will I be held down by human fate_

_by disgusting and fleeting hopes and dreams_

_I am strong now_

_I am free to do what I wish_

My sword emitted a radiance as blindingly white as the heart of a star, bleaching the entire tree hollow in beams until no other color existed. "Then I will have to discard that notion, _Hólmgeirr_, you Lost Spøkelse!" I roared. In an dazzling arc that lingered in the air, painted white by the intensity of the blade, I slashed at the shadowed being.

Contrary to popular belief, apparitions are not intangible; ghosts can indeed be affected by human hands. While they cannot be killed a second time, they _can_ be injured and/or incapacitated, until they no longer have the will to remain phantoms. Hence the sword that was gifted to me, which I had used rarely out of... desperation.

You see, there is a trick involved when it comes to fighting spirits and supernatural creatures of darkness; a fight for them is actually clash of willpower. The two warring parties must do battle by pitting their souls against each other as weapons, until either their physical vessels succumb to injury, OR their hearts can no longer resist subjugation to the winner. It is just like a real war between people.

For example, take the recurring belief that ghosts can be able to touch and attack their victims, leaving mysterious bruises and scratch marks, whenever they want to. That is the mistaken viewpoint of an overly superstitious rumormonger. In reality, the victim was rendered delirious by the ghost beating his spirit and will down, until he can no longer control himself, and dig his fingernails into his skin out of induced madness.

A livid shade literally cannot do anything _else_, for they no longer have a physical body to actively injure or hurt with.

By that logic, one can feed ghosts, even a Spøkelse, a taste of their own medicine.

Unfortunately, there is a reason why the rumor of a ghost's supposed intangibility will not be disproved anytime soon. Anyone can learn to fight a shade... with patience. It is really a matter of practice: to attack a phantom, you would have to be able to focus your soul, to concentrate and manipulate it into a tool for attack and defense. Slayers of monsters, including Noaidi priests and Catholic Saints, were given beautiful titles and glory, specifically_ because _they were capable of manifesting their souls into their magic, swords, staves, or even bare hands. Such prowess require spiritual meditation for several years on end. A few well-known heroes have trained themselves for longer than the years I had existed. I myself never meditated a day in my life.

Which is why I cheated.

I felt a little recoil as the blade bounced off the iron core. A piercing ring sounded from the impact, echoing in the hollow's walls until my ears nearly couldn't tolerate it. Within the smog, pierced by the sword's blinding light, I saw the Spøkelse clutch at its chest, a radiant white gash streaking from where its pelvis should be, all the way up to its left shoulder.

The sword, a Viking Ulfberht that had seen use before humans had fully settled in Norway, was an enchanted conduit for my abilities. Blessed by Guðmundr, Landvættir of the Lost Woods, its magic allowed me to easily channel my spirit into its double-edge with just a word, so long I was under Guðmundr's employment. Flesh or ectoplasm, it didn't matter to the weapon. It had served me for over a year, by evening a playing field that lumps ordinary humans with so many disadvantages.

I smiled wolfishly as it cried and howled with pain, and its body suddenly vented grey miasma with the force of a volcano eruption. Instinctively, I shielded my face from the blast, and-

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><p>It was late into nighttime, the pale moon shining above me as I breathed heavily and wiped sweat away from my eyes. I was taking my first few steps into the dark forest. It was a foolish decision to do so, but I needed to escape from those bandits. Nobody in their right mind would enter the Lost Woods, and there were no other locations nearby where I could hope to lose them.<p>

_And,_ I reasoned to myself,_ if that fearless fool Prince Adam can survive the Lost Woods, than surely I can at stand a chance, at least until those men give up finding me._

From behind me, I could hear the storming of heavy boots, the clinking and clanking of metal tools. There was no time to stop and think.

Running through the thick woods of Ravendall proved to be nearly impossible. I could hear the men shouting curses behind me, the lanterns they carried creating elongated and monstrous shadows that slithered and pursued me individually from their masters.

I leaped over a tree root, and screeched in panic as the outfit I wore was suddenly pulled, jerking me backwards. I snapped my head down to see that my dress had snagged itself onto loose branches. The dress contained too many loose ends that would only slow me down. Desperately, I tore at my clothes, swinging my arms wildly as I ripped out its hems and part of my skirt. Ribbons and torn pieces of rags drifted out into the dark night, forever lost.

I darted my head back, my hair whipping behind, and saw men with their crossbows. They didn't see me yet, but they were getting closer.

Frantically, I pulled at the last remaining fabric of my dress, and was thrust forward by my own weight. I slammed into the forest floor, the soil and roots scratching my cheeks and nose. I spat hair and dirt out of my mouth. My lungs were wheezing in protest, my legs were on fire, but I picked myself off the ground and continued running.

"She's over there! Get her!"

"Stop running and give yourself up, already!"

The forest, a natural world wonder that was untouched for who knows how long, contained ground that was never tamed by human hands. There were instances where I was knee-deep in dead leaves, slowing me down to an uncomfortable crawl, or where my feet floated a second more than I would have anticipated them to. I tripped over hidden roots, and lost my balance often, bumping into shrubs and other forest greens. Besides my chemise, I had little protection against the repeated scrapings of the rough tree bark. Welts formed all over my hands and feet, burning and stinging angrily, but I hardly cared.

I didn't see the steep downhill until it was too late. My foot slipped on loose dirt at the very edge, and it sank almost down to my shin. I was flipped over my head, my world briefly turned upside down, and I felt a distinct weightlessness that lasted until I hit the side of the hill in a roll. My head spun painfully, and I was pressed against dried leaves and fallen branches.

Miraculously, I did not slam into any tree trunks, and I eventually slowed to a stop. Disoriented, I couldn't tell whether or not the ground was actually as slanted as it appeared, or if that was a product of my confusion.

I spotted a white stone outcropping, a sharp boulder that jutted out at an angle not quite parallel to the forest floor, leaving a narrow gap underneath. The idea seemed absolutely absurd, but I realized my body could squeeze under; it could make for an instant hiding place.

I crawled on my belly as I entered the dark and dank little shelter. Like a terrified cat, I tucked myself underneath that rock outcropping, listening for the signs of incoming danger as my body pulsated in pain and fatigue.

"Where is that kut!?"

"Search around! She couldn't have gotten far!"

"I think I saw her tracks, over here!"

My heart rammed hard against my throat, a giant staccato on repeat that threatened to burst out from my chest. I nearly choked in of fear, but I clamped my hand up to my mouth. I breathed heavily through my nose, hardly providing enough air to supply my burning lungs. My legs twitched and cramped from the ordeal I had put them through. I was tempted to move them into a different position, but that would draw attention to my location.

I listened in discomfort for the boots that brushed and kicked aside dirt and leaves, boots that were coming closer to where I was hiding...

_One... Two... Three..._

I counted slowly to myself, anything besides imagine being dragged out in the open forcefully to monstrous faces and eyes, like a fresh catch in a hunt.

_Thirty-eight... Thirty-nine..._

In the tight space beneath the rock, the air was getting stuffier. It was becoming harder and harder for me to breathe.

_Seventy-two... Seventy-three..._

Wait. Their footsteps... they were fading away! They weren't heading in my direction at all!

I just barely prevented myself from wriggling free from under the rock, and gulping for fresh air. For all I know, bandits could still be out there, waiting and biding their time until I crawled out of my hiding spot in a false sense of security. I could be snatched like a poached rabbit. I continued counting.

_Ninety-four... Ninety-five..._

It was only after I reached three hundred when I finally believed it was safe enough to investigate.

The night was absolutely silent and still; not a single insect or bird chirped in the forest. Such woods should be considered completely unnatural, and it only added to my anxiety.

The white moonlight peeked into my hiding place, spilling inwards like overturned milk.

I crawled my way out from beneath the rock, and brushed off the dirt and forest refuse. I was truly grateful it was midsummer; all I had on was just my undergarment now. I turned my head around, hoping there was nothing waiting for me here.

There was only more silence in the woods. For some, unfathomable reason, the night was devoid of any nighttime animals that would have been at complete home in a forest as vast as this. The moonlight combined with the night skies to paint the woods in surreal splashes and shades of indigo and violet hues. The trees decorating the landscape stood tall and straight, only to spread and bend out and downwards threateningly like creatures that stalk in dreams. The leaves of the forest canopy hardly moved or swayed in this windless night. Thanks to the soundless atmosphere, I felt more like I was staring at a still portrait drawn by a bored author, than a nervous reality.

I gazed uphill, hoping I will be able to climb up and retrace my steps-

A powerful blow struck me from behind, heavy and overwhelming, pinning me to the floor. There was an audible, horrible crack that split the night air, and I was suddenly numb from my neck down. It was an oddly delicious feeling, to be no longer tormented by the complaints and limitations of my body. The only thing left to feel was my own heartbeat, which was beginning to slow down...

_...Sixty-six..._

My vision faded to black...

...It's cold...

_Sixty-seven... Sixty-eight... Sixty-nine..._

* * *

><p>My eyelids fluttered open, seeing green leaves that swayed back and forth, and permitted sunlight to briefly invade and stab at my eyes. I felt the ground shift beneath my back; I was being dragged away roughly on the forest floor. Heavily groggy, my body close to paralyzed of all its senses, my brain was still in complete terror of being hunted down and killed.<p>

_Seventy... Seventy-one..._

Some of my mental functions started coming back to me, and I tilted my head upwards ponderously, a task I never thought would be this difficult. Something snorted heavily, its massive body a dark smudge in my bleary eyes, and I saw the gleam of ivory jaws that pulled on my boot, carrying me further through the trees and wood.

_Fenrir!_

I pushed myself off the ground and withdrew my legs, trying to crawl away on my back, away from the beast that held me firmly between its teeth.

_Eighty-one..._

Even in self-defense mode, I was still reeling from that invasive memory. Every other time that I blinked my eyes, the emerald green shades of the forest were replaced by the vivid, violet monochrome of the night scenery, accompanied with panic and paranoia.

My head split apart at the cranium, and my vision flashed a dull red. Gasping in pain, I nursed my throbbing head, and looked up to see that I had bumped my head against a tree, hard.

I looked back down at the animal, and found that it was merely Appelsin; he had been the one dragging me away. I breathed rapidly, my chest pressing and thumping tightly and uncomfortably against my armor. I still felt an overwhelming need to count to myself, which hardly seemed reasonable now. The horse walked over to my position, regarding me with level eyes.

"E-eighty-three... W-were you the one who s-saved me?"

The horse said nothing. He didn't need to. I sat myself straight to pat him on the neck with one hand. Applesin whinnied softly with appreciation. Again, he had to pull a hero act, saving me once more from death, without fearing his own.

I brushed his mane past my left fingers tenderly as I struggled to remembered what had just happened.

That time at night... it was real, all of it. The forest and stone outcropping had been real. Those people hunting me down had been real. Who I _was _had been real. It was a visceral, terrifying reality that plagued my thoughts constantly as I sat.

It just wasn't a reality for me.

It didn't take me long to put two and two together; that vision, that utter nightmare was the last living memory of Kjellfrid.

I put my hands up to my face, rubbing my eyes tiredly. I've had experienced some truly spectacular mental attacks in my time, and this one was relatively high tier. When the Spøkelse had counterattacked me with that smog, it had been infused with some of the girl's memories, specifically her dying moments.

...The Spøkelse.

Oh no, I haven't defeated it at all! The only thing I've only ever done was injure it, making it angry! It's still running wild in these woods, free to wreak havoc in the forest, free to prey on the weak and unprotected, free to consume even more dark spirits and grow!

I let it escape scot-free.

I failed a sweet innocent young girl, who is now trapped in a pocket Purgatory.

Kjellfrid's last remaining moments replayed itself in my head once more, causing me to wince and shiver with dread. Thanks to the Spøkelse, I had just died once. If it weren't for my horse, it would have likely killed me for real right there, skills and magic sword be damned.

The sword! I shoved my left fingers into the scabbard, alarmed to see that it was empty.

"A-Appelsin," I cried desperately. "Did I leave my sword back..." I swallowed hard, my mouth painfully dry. "...there?"

The horse blinked its soft eyes once, and nuzzled my right arm. I lifted it to touch him, and exhaled with amazement and relief when I saw that the sword was safely and tightly in my grasp. Unconsciously, I had kept the Viking weapon in my hand with an iron grasp. I haven't even noticed my arm muscles were beginning to tremble and feel sore from holding it so tensely.

That fog... no, I wasn't rendered unconscious at all. I was rendered unaware, forced to relive a life that wasn't even mine.

Appelsin made a soft sound, tapping me with his muzzle twice.

"What is it boy?" I followed his wary gaze, and looked around the tree behind my back. An unpleasantly grey mist, thick enough to blot out every detail of the normally beautiful and lush woods, was racing through the forest, like raging floodwaters after a broken dam.

I yelped and panicked. I couldn't subject myself to a new nightmare, a new death. Frantically, I grabbed Appelsin by the reins, mounting him, almost squealing, "Hurry, take us home!"

He obliged without hesitation, and we rode through the winding forest like the wind, followed behind by thick supernatural clouds that smothered the forest lands in a rapid pace, like the storming of volcanic fumes. They washed, splashed, and crashed against trees and rocks like breaking waves, never relenting, never stopping.

After minutes of riding, dodging low branches and shrubs, and leaping over fallen trees that could have slowed Appelsin down, Ravendall's capital was within sight.

Something brushed against my back, scraping against my cheeks, causing itchy goose bumps to crawl down my arms and legs. The rush of fog zoomed past Appelsin and I, faster than the horse could ever gallop. I shut my eyes and twisted my brows into one of concentration, preparing myself to guard for yet another vision.

It never came. I opened my eyes in a squint and quickly closed them again. I had to try two more times to confirm that I was in the same place, on the same horse, in the same time.

Appelsin slowed his gallop to a trot, and then to a complete stop. We have reached the outskirts of town.

Curiously, I waved at the fog, feeling chills as I touched... something. It was almost indescribable, really. I've been calling this substance a mist, but it is so much more than that; the clouds floating low in the air had texture like uneven clumps of dust, or ashes from burning fires. They left no cool, gentle sensation like ordinary vapor, but instead rubbed disagreeably against my skin like ghostly sandpaper. It was as if I've been licked by the rough, dry tongue of a corpse, over and over again, all around my entire body. No doubt, sucking this kind of haze in would have been absolute torture to the lungs and throat... If it was actually possible.

I dismounted from the horse, looking at myself first, and then at Appelsin. His wide nostrils flared, but not out of irritation. The darkly grey clouds floated all around him, almost shrouding the horse in what can pass for a robe, but there was a clear lack of motion that indicated it was inhaled. For some reason, the smoke was perfectly able to smother everything, but within our bodies.

"Hey, Prince Adam! How was your trip?"

I staggered and fell on my backside, my heart struggling to free itself from my chest cavity. A dark shadow had loomed over my right shoulder, and I nearly pulled out my sword in self-defense before a thick, knobbly hand materialized in front of my nose. I peered through the fog at the silhouette.

The sudden intrusion was no ghost, but merely the local bartender Mark, a man as thick as he was tall, with a deep, basoon voice to match. If he had noticed my sudden overreaction, he didn't let it show in his posture. Gingerly, I took his offering hand so he could pick me up.

"Your Highness? You seem a little... jumpy."

"It's fine," I muttered, holding my arms close to myself. I craned my neck left and right, slightly lost. "I-it's nothing serious." I stepped a little closer to Mark's side, feeling a bit more secure. I couldn't just have Appelsin to accompany me in this situation, after all. The guy was a bit of a skinflint, but he ran a quality bar that I frequented. He was literally the best option I had within reach.

"Oh... okay, sir." Mark took in a deep breath, and looked down the road. "Crazy fog we are having, huh?"

I couldn't see even a two meters beyond the mysterious grey mist. The fog was like a cloud of smoke and ash, and yet there were no floating particles to suffocate on. Even stranger, my skin did not feel the cool vapors that characterized normal evening mist. The air was so thick, all sources of mundane light, including the sunlight, were scattered and dissipated, coloring the entire world in a monotonous haze.

The Spøkelse. To have its abilities and powers stretch and manifest this far with such thickness, from that tree hollow, all the way to Ravendall, it must be incredibly powerful...

An earsplitting scream of a young woman filled the air, reverberating off the walls of houses, window panes, thatched roofs, and market stalls.

_...or incredibly close._

I shoved Markus away, snapped out of my funk, eliciting a shout of confusion and protest from the large man. He quickly disappeared from sight as I ran, pounding my feet against the pavement, towards the direction where I had heard the shriek. In the fog, my footsteps echoed and bounced off the empty streets of Ravendall, creating a haunting effect that lingered ominously.

A thick, ornate lamp post materialized in the mist, and I had to sway hard to the left to avoid earning a broken nose. I gave the offending thing a rude look and a hand gesture, briefly forgetting that lamp posts can't react.

Blasted pole. Blasted fog. The Sp-

I grimaced, not exactly leaping with cheer about remembering the past hour for now.

_You can handle this, you aren't a child. _

_It's bad, but you have suffered worse._

The Spøkelse must have done something and cursed Ravendall with an incredibly thick, supernatural miasma; an artificial undercurrent of suspicion and unease. I could hardly tell where I was going, and barely any light pierced the heavy clouds. I was rendered nearly blind; I couldn't even see the buildings situated on either side of the road. It's a miracle there weren't any more pedestrians out on the streets to bump into right now.

Then again, the citizens of Ravendall must have had the good sense to realize something has gone horribly wrong, and stayed inside their homes out of fear. They are much smarter than me, I suppose.

Just as this thought ran through my head, a figure burst from the thick fog, heading directly towards at me. Neither of us bothered to slow down, and we collided with each other bodily. The two of us tumbled onto the pavement, accompanied by the flapping of fabric and clinking of metal. We finally came to a stop after spinning a fair distance from the crash site.

"Ach..." I moaned, gagging as I stood back up. I had the wind knocked out of me by the impact, and the palms of my left hand stung from scraping the paved road. I coughed to get more air lungs into my lungs, and stared at the small cuts now forming ruby droplets. Then, I looked at the fallen person besides me, and mentally slapped myself. She was a young woman, a lady who appeared too shaken to realize that there was a dark patch on her clothes spreading from her elbow. She only hugged herself, the eyes of her whites clearly distinct.

"Oh, blast, I am so sorry, ma'am!" I apologized. "You're bleeding!" I lifted the lady back on her feet tenderly, making sure she wasn't hurt anywhere else.

"Ow... what had happened to this insane worl-" She turned to face me as I investigated for additional injuries, and her eyes, wide as saucers already, somehow stretched even bigger. "Prince Adam!" She hurriedly bowed, not realizing she was far too tall, and far too close to me. Her forehead hit me right in the nose, and a fresh wave of agony throbbed in the center of my face.

So much for dodging that pole.

"Your Highness!" She held her hands to her mouth in absolute horror. "I-I'm sorry..."

"That's fine, I deserved it." She was fidgeting badly, the hems of her dress flying everywhere and brushing the thick mist away slightly. Even in place, her braid swung like the pendulum of a grandfather clock.

No doubt, the shouting that rang just a couple of minutes ago had set this woman off like being poked with an iron branding. I had to grab her by the shoulders firmly, so she could look directly at my eyes. "Ma'am, did you hear any sharp cries just recently?"

She pointed to herself with a long finger, her eyebrows raised deep into her forehead. "I-I' the one who yelled..."

I squeezed her shoulders hard, now reveling in my fantastic luck. "Why did you yell?"

"A-a man just collapsed..."

"Continue, continue!"

I-I tried waking him up, but he didn't respond. I-I tried feeling f-for his heartb-... his heartbeat," she blabbered, "but there was nothing! Soon enough, he was limp and ice-cold!" She clutched and shook her head. "I... I-I think he's dead!"

"WHAT!?"

The girl winced at my outburst. I coughed, and lowered my voice to a more manageable level. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout at you." I tried my best to smile confidently at her, hopefully a valiant effort. "Can you take me to him?"

The lady sniffled and turned around at the expanse of thick, soupy mist. The only things that were distinguishable now were the lights from the lamp posts strewn across the streets, and even they did little to pierce the murk. "I don't think I can..." My shoulders sagged with exhaustion and dejection. The young woman saw my crestfallen face, and straightened her back up. "But maybe I should at least try." She grasped my stinging hand, not realizing it was burning with pain, and led me as we stumbled out way through the fog.

The girl's memories must be quite remarkable, because we only hit the same dead end four times in a row. Six times, actually, if accidentally walking into an alley didn't count in canceling the streak.

_This was getting nowhere._

I glanced at my scabbard, the silvery steel trimmings that adorned it glimmering like starlight, even in midst of Ravendall's current dim illumination.

_We need to get rid of this spectral mist._

My head suddenly experienced clarity for the first time that day, and I smiled at an idea now crystallizing in my brain like an icy blast.

If this thick haze was truly the work of the Spøkelse, then... perhaps the enchantments on the Ulfberht can eradicate it! If it can work on unearthly flesh and bone, than surely it has some anti-magical properties.

I dug my heels against the pavement, and nearly fell over as the girl continued to jerk at my hand, her legs still pacing at full speed. It was only after shaking it twice when she realized that I wanted to stop. Puzzled, she let go and asked me, "What's going on? Why aren't you moving?"

I held up an index finger at her, gesturing her to wait. "Excuse me, miss..." I reached down to my side, where I stored my weapons on my holster, and drew the sword from its scabbard. Even in the heavy smog, the sword's luster shone brighter than lanterns, already clearing my visibility admirably. I can see details like the doors on houses now, and the slight outline of potted flowers decorating windows.

In the white light, the woman looked at me and the blade fearfully, confused about what I was going to do. My heart sank a little at her face and posture, which leaned to one side heavily, and away from me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that she believed I was going to attack her. I held out a regal hand, doing my best to look assuring and stable.

"Stand back, ma'am."

"W-what are you going to do?"

I showed her my teeth, finally certain that something has gone right for the first time in a while. "I'm about to perform a miracle."

I pressed my forehead against the crossguard, feeling its cool silvery steel resting on my skin. I whispered a few words under my breath, an incantation that I will not write here. I thought of my people, the folks of Ravendall; they, who deserve lives without interference from magical creatures that thrive on their fear, hatred, and pain. They, who I have protected with every fiber of my being for over a year, regardless of the trials presented in one of the most dangerous corners of the Earth. They, who accepted and praised my exploits, even though they deserved more than the scrappy, one-man protection of a Prince. The people of Ravendall, who would bicker about markets and prices, cook, eat, play with their families, argue, work, sing, dance, love, strive for a better living... I will make sure they can continue to see a brighter future tomorrow without fear, for it is my duty, as Prince of Ravendall, to protect the ones I love.

The sword blazed with brilliant, white flames, physical extensions of my emboldened will and soul. I ponderously pointed its steel tip downwards, and plunged it into the ground. With only the sound of a whispering wind, the flames compacted to the very bottom in a miniature star, exploded in a spectacular light show. Compared to the relative darkness caused by the murk, the release of magic was absolutely blinding, paining my eyes with the extreme contrast. From where I struck, a pulse of magnificent white light expanded outwards, like a bleached aurora floating above the ground.

The ghostly mist from where I stood evaporated upon contact with the barrier of incoming rays, peeling back and folding itself over as if it had a mind of its own, one that cowed before the wall of purifying radiance.

I gave myself a few seconds to adjust my eyes to the returning darkness, and I looked around. Disappointingly , the clouds were still present, and still a far cry from anything mundane or ordinary. But now, it is no worse than the average nightly fog. At first, the thickness of the phantasmal ashes had given me the next best thing to blindness. Now I could at look down the street, seeing the cement lines tracing brick and cobblestone, the beautifully decorated shop signs and residences, before details faded and melted with the vast fog once more.

The woman stared at me in awe, her mouth slack-jawed. "A-are you an ange-"

"Don't. Ever. Say that." I interrupted, sheathing the Ulfberht back into place. "I'm just a young man, and the last thing we need is one waltzing around here."

She blinked, perplexed at my reaction. "Um... Okay." She turned her head around, observing the details of the now-visible streets and landmakrs, and her wide eyes sparked with recognition. "This way, then!"

People were beginning to poke their heads out of their doors, their curiosity getting the better of them. No doubt, the burst of white light and fire was too strange to ignore. They stared at me and the woman, wondering why we were in such a hurry in these cursed elements. Slowly, the silent kingdom grew less and less hushed.

It was not long before we finally found him, slouched against a cobblestone wall. His flamboyant outfit, decorated with a fur trim and small jewelry, suggest he was a man of moderate importance, a merchant perhaps, but it was too unwashed and disheveled to carry a merchant's usual bravado.

The girl and I stopped in front of the man, and I bent down on one knee. A wash of rancid odor attacked my nose, a mixture of alcohol and old sweat. I nearly choked from his powerful musk, and it took all of my will to just turn my head away and blink away tears. I patted the drunkard on the cheek, and his head lolled to one side.

This time, I actually did choke.

The man was Kjellfrid's brother.

Three weeks ago, on the day Kjellfrid disappeared, this person ran from one end of town to the other, screeching his beloved sister's name frantically, asking everyone he could reach if they had seen her. The man had spirit; until I confronted him, he never gave up his search. After more than a week, he knocked on doors nonstop, stopped incoming carts, disturbed horses, bribed heralds, anything he could to raise attention for his sister. He was being a disruption to the peace and civility of Ravendall, some people complained. The King forced me to tell the merchant to cease and desist.

I didn't know what possessed me, but I did more than that.

I remembered telling him the reality. I remembered the ways his eyes twitched, the way his mouth parted slightly in disbelief. He had broken out into a nervous, toothy grin, his voice wavering as he laughed off my words with little conviction. I remembered explaining to him the events that lead me to her body in the Lost Woods. I even showed him my hands and fingernails, which were caked with the same fresh dirt that I buried her with.

He punched me in the face. And again. And again.

I didn't stop him.

I was left with several violet bruises and cuts on my cheeks, my mouth tasting of hot iron, and a nose that smeared blood everywhere. I didn't provide any physical evidence, the brother said. I couldn't know for sure, he said. He stomped off, as stiffly as if he was made of wooden beams. His fists certainly felt like it.

Despite King Trigve's consternation, I didn't tell him anything. I was not going to have a man arrested for rightfully punishing me.

I never saw him again afterwards.

And here he was, strewn on the roadside like an abandoned toy, just another piece that fell off the board of fate.

_No. Nonono. _

_He shouldn't be dead. He has no reason to be dead._

A lot of people die without justification, Adam. It's just the way life works.

You, of all people, should know better.

I ignored the saner voice in my brain, which have been growing quieter these days, and jabbed the brother's body hard in the chest. No response. I lifted his chin up desperately and opened an eyelid, hoping I could see life within his eyes, the same glint that burned with such passion when he was still hunting for Kjellfrid.

Who was I kidding? I was the one who extinguished that flame in the first place.

I grabbed his head with both my hands and lifted him, realizing that his entire body was as limp and ice-cold as the girl had described. My thumbs, which were wrapping around his neck, detected no pulse, no heartbeat whatsoever from the man. I shoved him to the left side of my head in complete denial. I foolishly hoped that he could still display any sign, just one tiny little hint that he was still ali-

I froze in place. The smell of alcohol coming from the man was positively antiseptic, and somehow increasing in strength. Slowly, I pulled him closer to my ears, opening his mouth ever so slightly.

I could hear the faint rushing of air. Emerging from between his worn teeth, his breath tickled my cheeks at an even tempo.

"F-... He's alive! He's breathing! I-I think he's still alive!"

By now, a crowd of onlookers, including the girl that lead me here, was gathering around me and Kjellfrid's brother. Upon closer inspection, I could see even more hints of activity; his eyelids, instead of being relaxed and closed, fluttered ever so slightly, and the muscles in his face occasionally twitched into a grimace. His chest still rose and fell, filling itself in inhalation, before releasing air stained with the stench alcohol.

_You're just desperately grasping onto strings. His corpse is likely under __rigor mortis._

Shut up. I've been dealing with spooks and bodies for a while now, and I can tell if someone is still alive!

The lady perplexedly laid a hand on Kjellfrid's brother, observing his state. "He's breathing but... his heart. It's not beating at all. How could this happen? Prince Adam, is he under some sort of curse?"

I hardly heard her, instead running some theories through my head. Disease? Poison? A bad batch of ale? What could possible produce this kind of ailment?

I looked left and right at the worried and nervous spectators. "Does anyone know what happened to this man?" I shouted.

Almost each and every citizen of Ravendall, their faces in all shapes, ages, colors, and sizes, looked at me, then at each other, clearly ignorant of the brother's fate. Everybody, except for a single dark shape. That one person stood at the back end of the crowd, unmoved, and unheard of. Even with the more manageable vision impairment caused by the smog, I couldn't discern any feature about him or her. This one was shrouded in a cloak, one that fluttered in a breeze that did not exist, and nearly blended with the suspended smog...

I stormed forward, pushing surprised viewers to the side, targeting straight for this mystery person. He or she realized who I was after, and slipped away from the crowd hurriedly. "Stop!" I cried! "In the name of Ravendall, I command you to stop and reveal yourself!" The figure paid no attention to my demands, and slithered between two houses, into an alleyway.

I was prepared to follow suit, but my instincts screamed at me, tugging my heartstrings violently, pleading me not to take one more step into the darkness.

Soft whispers emerged from the inscrutable blackness, and a massive, wickedly shaped and cruel blade shot out to the side of my head, with the force of a released bowstring. The twisted, ornate metal of the polearm seemed to glow with its own grey and auburn light, barely a hair's width away from my neck. I was short of breath, and swallowed in fear. Just from a simple glance at its edge, and I could tell that the thing was almost _aware_; it desired to cut, to draw blood with the highest capacity, and there was a perfect target just barely out of its reach. I could almost feel it trying to pull my body closer, to release me from this world. This weapon, which was alive in the most unsettling way, was undoubtedly an extension of that demon.

"Hólmgeirr." I gasped.

The blade protruding from the inky darkness shivered once, and then remained still.

_you were my friend_

_you have hurt me_

I gathered all of my aplomb into my next words. There is no time for jokes or subtleties anymore. "You imprisoned and enslaved my friends within your heart. You have no right to cry to yourself like a child with a tantrum."

The blade wavered slightly, but only by a micrometer.

_I only gave these human souls what they want_

_what they need_

_what they deserve_

"That man... what had happened was your doing wasn't it?"

_of course_

"Why? Why involve him into this?"

_he was just as alone and broken as his sister-_

"Don't!" I spat, almost frothing at the mouth in hatred. "Don't you dare believe you can say a thing about Kjellfrid!" This Spøkelse was ticking me off increasingly. My cheeks were colored scarlet in my rage, and my jaws hurt from tensing so much. My hand was just aching for the opportunity to behead this monstrosity once and for all, at the risk of suffering the same fate by the spook's blade.

_you have hurt me_

_you attacked me first_

_you nearly erased me_

"A great shame that I failed," I muttered.

_it is only fair that I do the same_

That's it. I was having none of this Spøkelse's garbage. I jutted my chin forward in resolution, and waved a hand behind me, gesturing at the mass of spectral smog encompassing Ravendall. "Then why must you do this?" I proclaimed, glared at it with absolute loathing. "Why must you involve my kingdom in this, you great sniveling louse? Why must you hurt them, instead of killing me right now?"

_I cannot_

_I have to break you first_

_humans detest loneliness after all_

The heat of my anger dissipated immediately, replaced by the intense chill that only dread and overbearing gloom can bring. I predicted the Spøkelse's words before his discordant voice carried them out for real.

_I will just have to take your kingdom away from you_

"No!"

_when will you finally give in_

_will it be when you have seen your hard work crumble to the ground_

_will it be when you can no longer share a drink_

_will it be when children no longer play and cheer by your side_

_will it be when you are abandoned by all_

_will it be when no one will ever remain to love you_

"Please, just end this farce! Just take my life, at least leave Ravendall alone! They don't deserve any of this!"

_I understand your wish_

_but your heart still desires the opposite_

_you still have hope_

I gaped, taken aback by his choice of words. "Wh-what?"

_hope is deadly_

_poisonous_

_abhorrent_

_treacherous_

_it entrances with sweet promises_

_raise you to greater heights_

_only to drop you without a care to the dangerous depths below_

_when the world inevitably yanks you back down_

_your hope is what keeps you alive_

The iron auburn blade descended, and my vision flashed white with pain. With a simple flourish, the Spøkelse had cut a shallow slit in the side of my neck, barely nicking a layer of my skin. I covered it with a hand, wheezing and wincing in pain. I fell to the pavement, suddenly weak in the knees. I no longer had the strength to stand, or even lift my head up to glare. Rather than just leave an open wound that stung, the spot where the dark blade struck emanated a mind-numbing sensation that seeped into my muscles and heart, oozing like a chill venom that threatened to stop the flow of my blood.

_so I ask you one question_

_before I leave you and your repugnant hope here to rot_

The blackness obscuring the alley paled, now developing into a mass of grey smoke that whirled in a tornado of raging wind and ash. The dusty clouds coalesced into an apparition, a vague silhouette of a towering man that possessed two orbs for eyes. It leaned forward, so close that I could see it without even lifting my eyes. The orbs flashed a deadly color, a mixture of stormy iron and rust. Just from being in its mere proximity made me feel threatened to throw up.

_how much will you have to lose_

_until hope finally abandons you to the inescapable depths below_

I closed my eyes in what I believed was defeat, and looked back up at Hólmgeirr the demon.

The Spøkelse vanished. It had completely disappeared without a trace, as if it was nothing but a simple night terror to laugh away. The alley was no longer suspiciously pitch-black, but a simple passage again, a harmless space between two houses, and nothing more. The only menacing quality that was left behind was a heavy, suffocating silence.

Something in the distance fell with a dull thud. A piercing scream resonated through the haunted streets of Ravendall. The scene was too far, and too obscured by the ghostly ash clouds to be seen. And yet, I knew what just happened.

The Spøkelse is now targeting people, all because I was too afraid to stay in the forest and finish the fight.

Another soft thud, and a fresh wave of screams.

...I led it here.

I did this.

* * *

><p><strong>And <em>that<em> is why I had to leave Olaf out of the picture.**

**If you too would like to be a beta-reader for _Have Courage,_ _Elsa_, just gimme a shout, a message, or something.**

**You know the drill: Follow, fave, and/or review.**

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen._  
><strong>


	9. Ch 9: The Snowman and the Servant

**Now, this is what one would call a "filler" chapter. It is related to the story (probably more than I realize), but as of now does not serve to move the plot.**

**In effect, it is an exploration of characters, in a different situation than the author's original intent.**

**The events of this one-shot takes place shortly after Chapter 7, when Olaf scurried off to grab some hot cocoa for his friends.**

**Now, why did I make this "filler" chapter? As I have explained to my beta-reader, FrozenRose1, I needed a break from writing.**

**So I wrote some more instead.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 9<span>

The Snowman and the Servant

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><p>Tonight was probably one of Gerda's strangest and most surreal experiences, as servant to the Royal Family.<p>

Granted, she was not new to such curious happenings; servitude to the Arendelle Monarchy had always been mired in intriguing adventures, and Gerda herself came from a long line of loyal attendants, dating back as far as her Great-Great Uncle Alfred. A tradition was born from that job; beginning with Alfred's succeeding son, at least one member from each generation of Gerda's family would be guaranteed to provide aid and advice to the highest order of the state.

A white snowman skipped besides her, breaking the attendant's train of thought. "_That's_ why you'd rather live in this castle without a normal life?" he asked incredulously. "For a maid, you're pretty weird." Gerda could only sigh at Olaf's innocently blunt remark.

Admittedly, aspiring to work in the Palace doesn't sound too impressive at first; it certainly didn't when Gerda's mother explained the tradition to her then-preteen daughter. A servant, Royal or not, is still a servant, and is expected to maintain the massive castle in top form at one's own expense, as well as keep the Royal Family stable in mentality and health.

Such work was both back-breaking and nerve-wracking, and took its toll on Gerda. "See, uh... see this?" She motioned her hands around her sturdy and plump figure, a little embarrassed from displaying herself. "I have no time to worry about my appearance besides a formal attire. I can't even tighten my body shape, because the hard labor has given me muscles that will never fit into a corset, even after a thousand years, after I am no longer capable of breathing. And look at this." She lifted her head kerchief slightly to reveal a few grey strands hidden among the brown. "Soon enough, I guarantee my head will become whiter than Queen Elsa's!"

"I personally think you look wonderful, Gerda. But... if you don't like the way you look, why not choose another job?"

"I never said I was unhappy with the way I look, and... Well, I'm too old and too busy to ever find another life, I guess."

Gerda was not grieving, however; in fact, she actually counted her blessings. The maid tried her best to explain to Olaf the generosity of the Kings and Queens of Arendelle, whose portraits adorned a section of the Palace halls they were now walking through. As a Royal Attendant of Arendelle, Gerda told Olaf she had access to a permanent and lavish bedroom inside the grand Palace, a large payroll, good food, and free invitations to royal gatherings.

"Well..." the older woman shrugged. "Technically it's free; someone has to be there to clean up the inevitable and horrendous mess of cake and lutefisk after all, but a party is still a party."

"But... why couldn't you choose another job earlier?"

"For a talking snowman, you ask too many questions." Gerda tried to sound polite; she was not actively persuading Olaf to change the subject of this conversation, but it would relieve her to no end if he did.

"Oh..." The snowman, seemingly understanding, lowered his eyes, and considered his next choice of words. "So then... why _did__n't _you choose another job earlier?"

_He didn't change the topic at all. _Gerda resisted the urge to tap her head against the wall and roll her eyes in exasperation. "You're no better than Princess Anna, always wanting to know the full story despite what others think." she huffed.

Although, for someone dragged out of bed at two hours after midnight, Gerda was in a surprisingly good humor. Perhaps because the snowman had this kind of effect around people, one of love and trust. He managed to capture quite a few hearts in the kingdom just being upbeat by offering hugs to random people. For example, Olaf unwittingly entered a tavern once; the little guy lifted some of the most depressed souls from their slouches and brooding moods, and even transformed that bar into a song and dance party. The rows of burly workers and ice harvesters dancing the can-can while belting sopranos became a popular anecdote. Gerda did not know how that was possible, but Olaf made it work.

The attendant looked up at ceiling thoughtfully, her thoughts tracing back to times long past. "I... um." Gerda's cheeks felt warm, as she was not used to revealing something this inimate to anyone, even if that person was a living, talking snowman. "I... I stayed for the two girls. For Anna and Elsa."

According to Gerda, the most important benefit of serving the Royalty of Arendelle was probably the rarest gift of all; a loving second family. Elsa and Anna's late parents, King Akthar and Queen Idun of Arendelle, were barely any older than their newly hired servant at the time, but they had been especially gracious, sharing their blessed children with the entire castle staff. They were the closest thing Gerda had for in-laws. For their kids, the maid doted and practically raised the two sisters over the years, seeing them as the daughters she never could have hoped to bear.

When her precious second family fractured apart, with barely a glimmer of hope for repair, Gerda's heart was pierced with an icicle of doubt, one that pushed deeper each time she saw the dejected two girls grow further apart with every passing year.

When Queen Elsa ran away from her kingdom, her worst fears realized, Gerda had wept herself to sleep for two nights on end.

When the two Royal Sisters returned victoriously from the harbor, wrapping each other tightly with their arms as if thirteen long, dark, painful years had never occurred between them, Gerda wept for one night more.

So, when she had heard an obnoxious rapping on her bedroom door five minutes ago, the veteran maid's brief panic attack was perfectly justified.

* * *

><p>Gerda had been enjoying a good rest at the time, with a dream involving an exciting adventure high up in the mountains, in a hot-air balloon that sailed to the farthest reaches of the known Earth. She was just about to use her fortified body to her advantage against roving sky pirates, but the incessant knocking yanked her into reality. Blearily, she stretched herself out of a yawn, and noted that the clock in her room said the time was well after two in the morning. The woman tilted her head at the hour hand in confusion. To awake to something this late must mean...<p>

She held a hand to her mouth, her heartbeat suddenly doubling in pace. _Oh no, can it be an emergency!?_

Anything could have happened; thieves, a roaring fire, plague, an attack on the sisters, an invading kingdom, even marauding pirates!

The mental images brought upon by this thought only sent a new wave of fresh terror to the older maid. Hurriedly, she hopped out of bed and threw her sheets aside, not even bothering to change from her sleeping gown. She swung the door wide open, expecting someone like either Kai or Queen Elsa to be standing in front of her, ready to present the terrible news.

All she saw was the crocus-patterned wallpaper on the opposite side of the hallway. Gerda turned her head cautiously to the left side, seeing no one there.

She repeated the same motion, but this time to the right.

Again, her eyes did not come across anyone. She sighed, her eyelids sagging and shoulders in both relief and tiredness. "Either I'm hallucinating, or Princess Anna must have decided to play a prank on me," she muttered.

"Um, I don't think I see Princess Anna anywhere, but I am down here!"

Gerda ears twitched at the whimsical-sounding voice, and a single snowflake, shining like a lone star in the night, brushed against her nose, dancing as it flew further up into the air. Then another. And another. She slowly looked down, and identified the surprise source of winter.

She knew Olaf, Elsa's creation and friend from the North Mountain, for three weeks now, but it hardly got any easier for the older woman whenever he showed up. He has this odd talent of popping into a conversation unnoticed, like a ghost, until the very last minute. Who knows how many times had he sent people reeling with surprise simply by introducing himself? In fact, giving his victims a terrific shock seemed to amuse him, which does not help matters at all.

Gerda just barely refrained from kicking his head off for the thirteenth time since Queen Elsa's return, and patted herself lightly on the bosom to relax her overactive heart.

"Hiya Gerda!" The snowman chirped, raising his stick arms wide. The Head Servant was at a loss for words, and ten seconds passed by in awkward silence.

"Hello... Olaf." Gerda waved shyly him, and focused her view on both sides of the hall once more. She didn't see anyone attending the little creature. In normal circumstances, at least one of his friends should be hovering around.

While suppressing an incoming yawn, she asked, "Why did you come to wake me at this hour?"

"Oh! Um..." The snowman looked pensive, furrowing his brow. He crossed his stick limbs, rubbing his chin with one hand, and bowed his head to one side until it was almost parallel to the carpet floor. "Hm..."

And then the angling of his snowy cranium dipped even deeper...

"No no! Careful-" Gerda began, raising her hands out in front of her, in a futile attempt to catch him.

Alas, it was too late. The snowman's head came off from his body, his face seemingly moving in slow-motion. In less than a second, the white creature will make impact with the hard floor, splitting apart like an overripe fruit. What was once alive will be rendered to nothing but a pile of snow, one that will disappear into the carpeting rapidly, leaving just a single brightly orange carrot behind. The Queen and Princess will undoubtedly weep at the loss of their friend, with all of the blame lying directly at their veteran attendant's feet. They may bring all of their men and horses, but Olaf, Her Majesty's special and prized creation, cannot be fixed, and will cease to exist. Gerda shut her eyes and winced for the inevitable destruction...

...and Olaf's head hit the floor with a noncommittal thud.

The snowman, still very much alive, made no acknowledgement that his neck (space?) was detached; his headless body still rubbing at his absent chin.

Undaunted by the surprise separation, Olaf's prone face broke into gleeful grin. "Oh, oh! I know!" He lowered his voice, doing his best impression of a conspirator. Well, one with a head still attached, at least. "Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, and Helga are doing something reeaallly special and reeaallly important right now!" The head rolled forward quickly, then backwards, a lopsided version of Olaf trying to shift his vision left and right. "It's a secret though! I don't think I should tell you!"

"'Helga'?"

"Oh! Um... he's someone we trust!"

The headless body uncrossed its arms, and patted itself in the back, evidently a reward for its display of subtlety and tact.

Secrets, Gerda can handle. The Royal Castle was littered with them, and only one was finally lifted after the Eternal Winter. What more can a new addition do?

_Still though, who on Earth would name their son 'Helga'?_

"Really?" Gerda said, using her years of discipline to fight back yet another yawn. "So why did you call me out of my bedroom?"

The snowman pulled his face into a sad, genuine frown, a rare expression for someone so happy-go-lucky. "I don't really know where the kitchen is." he explained. "I told everyone I was going to get them warm milk and cocoa, but I have not a single clue where to find them!" Olaf's body groped for its fallen head, lifting and replacing it with ease. He danced a small jig to present his newly repaired self. "So, I'm asking you! You are the head waitress, right?"

"Maid," corrected Gerda.

_Figures_, the servant thought to herself. While Olaf had lived in the Arendelle Palace for three weeks now, his personalized winter atmosphere had its limits. Among other places a snowman ought not to be standing inside, including, say... a castle, the kitchen room would probably be listed as one of the worst. How could a snowman survive in a place filled with hot food, open flames, and rambunctious, rude, hustling cooks?

But... if this little snowman is performing a deed for the Royal Sisters, at least Gerda, the Royal Family's most trusted maid for two generations, should fulfill her duty. She retreated back inside her bedroom to grab her head kerchief, telling the snowman to wait for her.

As she was tying a knot around her round cheeks and chin, she glanced at the undone bed standing forlorn in the moonlight. Her posture drooped in irritation at the mere sight of the chaos; a single wrinkle, a shallow valley that spanned across the mattress.

With a sigh, she violently yanked all of her blankets from the cot, vigilantly remaking and stretching each sheet until they were flat as wooden boards once more.

She nodded approvingly at her work, and gestured at the snowman. "Come," Gerda said, "I'll take you there."

* * *

><p>The Royal Kitchen of Arendelle was the pride of the Palace, if Gerda could say so herself. Upon entering the grand doors, one could see the tiled walls that were hung with well-polished pots and pans that glowed and sparkled. Even in the relative darkness of the night, the kitchen was illuminated by metallic reflections alone.<p>

In an effort to impress the snow-newcomer, Gerda cleared her throat, and spoke in her passionate tour-guide voice. "Thanks to fastidious cleaning and management, these kitchen wares have seen usage for years and years, and still remained as polished as the officially assigned weaponry of Corona."

She raised a hand at the wooden cabinets that spanned for an entire portion of the kitchen, adorned with brass handles. "In these drawers and shelves, thousands of silverware and plates are stacked and arranged, in enough numbers to suit the largest of parties, and beautifully crafted and decorated with floral designs to impress the haughtiest of guests."

The maid dragged the snowman, who was following her paces excitedly, to yet another part of the kitchen, a space occupied by sturdy and scarred tables. "Here is where half a dozen of chefs prepare meals, supplied with the finest tools and exotic spices."

Olaf pulled away from the attendant, who was now beaming with pride for the Royal Palace. "Hey Gerda, what's this thing?" The snowman inquiringly pointed at a bent, metal pipe fixed to a wall, situated above a relatively large porcelain tub.

"That would be another kitchen gem, the tap water system. It was built with a guarantee for fresh and sterile water for all days of the year."

What Gerda didn't say was that it was quite the trouble for Elsa's mother, Idun, to set it up; she had to plan and make arrangements with contractors for the plumbing and space, all the while persuading her husband that a safe and local drinking source was more important than a centuries-old piece of wall.

The snowman waddled to the very center of the kitchen, now positively gaping in amazement as he faced what was probably the two Crown Jewels of the establishment.

Gerda smiled at the little creature, who's infectious enthusiasm was stirring and igniting the zeal within her. Such sensation was almost nostalgic; the maid could recall a time when she took two little children, to this very same room, giving them the same tour.

"Ah... you have a good eye, Olaf." She puffed her chest up in pride, sticking an arm out to the massive structure located at the center of a wall. "This a massive, state-of-the-art stove with an oven attached, both practical and artistic in design; its petal motifs and polished sections of wood and stone belie their effectiveness for efficient and varied cooking!

"And this," she frenziedly announced, pointing at a reinforced metal door. "This is the newest addition to the palace, enchanted with the powers of winter to remain in a permanent state of frost. It is a giant storeroom, filled to the brim with hundreds of ingredients from all corners of the world, each catalogued by Queen Elsa herself!"

Gerda, now completely lost in her own world, raised her hands in adulation. "No one can find a finer kitchen to prepare food in, not even in the very Country of Cuisine, France!"

The snowman, slightly taken aback, whistled long and low. Gerda could not, for her life, figure out how that was even possible.

"Um... " He sounded wary, almost frightened, at this suddenly unrestrained woman standing before him. "...That's very nice and all, including the over-sized icebox, but I was just admiring how high the ceiling seems to go up..."

"...Icebox?" In a flash of a second, the burning spirit and enthusiasm within Gerda died out. "...Ceiling?" Her entire plump figure drooped low, completely deflated. She spun a little melodramatically, and leaned a head against a tile wall, humiliated and sullen over the sudden dissonance between servant and snowman. "You got all excited over a ceiling..."

This was only the second time someone would rather pay attention to something so trivial, without heeding to the amazing wonders standing right in front of them.

The first person to do so became, of all people, Queen Elsa.

Oh, who was Gerda kidding anyway? She was trying to impress a _snowman_, for crying out loud.

The attendant could only shake her head in disbelief at herself, as she straightened up her back, and took a tinderbox from one of the cabinets. She struck a small fire in the stove, allowing the wood fuel inside to burn, slowly. "Olaf," the servant said, pulling her sleeves back in preparation. "Would you be kind and help me fetch the milk from the storage? They're all labeled."

The little snowman saluted, burying a stick hand deep into his brow unintentionally. It took him a couple of tugs with his other hand to pull it back out. "Absolutely, ma'am!"

Gerda walked over to a shelf, and plucked from within a tin of cocoa; unlike the well-hidden stash of Arendelle's finest chocolate candies, the spice was permitted to be kept in plain sight. Cocoa powder is actually very bitter, so there was no need to hide its location from two potential sneaks; they learned what was in the metal boxes the hard way just a week ago. Gerda gave the fine brown powder a gentle sniff. A powerful but warm, rich aroma filled her nose, until she could almost taste the heavenly smell, and she sighed with pleasure. She pulled out a giant sack of sugar, using her strong arms to heave it out, and took a cast-iron pot hanging from a peg, setting it onto the increasingly hot stove.

Somebody tapped her on the leg, and she reached downwards to receive a white jug from Olaf. She nodded at the snowman in approval, while pouring the contents into the warm pot. The resultant hiss from contact between the liquid and hot metal sent Olaf giggling, as he watched the little stove fire from a safe distance.

"Watching the firelight all night long...  
>warming up my nose as I'm singin' a song...<br>Da babbity doo-whop,  
>shoobity-doo-doo,<br>Beebop! Boop-a dee-whop!"

Gerda _would_ like to ask exactly what on Earth sort of gibberish Olaf was chanting in; for all she knows, it could be some sort of demonic witchcraft or a curse casted behind her back.

Then again, he was bizarre enough without being made of snow. The maid held her tongue and refrained from raising more oddities than her graying head could manage.

"Anything else?" Olaf piped.

Gerda's memories rewinded back a few hours, when she saw the number of giant boxes poor Captain Arvid and Kai had to lug into the kitchen. The two men had panted and sweated as they desperately prevented each package from falling over and spoiling the contents inside, sometimes sticking their feet out to catch an errant defector.

"I think a midnight snack would serve them well. Goodness knows the Royal Family should put on a bit of weight, they look so thin and frail at times!"

Olaf lifted his head in delight. "Oh, I've never thought of that! That's a wonderful, fantastic idea!"

"Why don't you check the ice room? Just... leave the door open, so I can tell you! I'm sure the boys have placed it on that left shelf right next to the door- yes, there we go! Now, don't you drop it!"

Olaf waddled back to Gerda with a box, struggling valiantly to make sure it didn't fall over.

"Just put it on the table over there, I'll cut it later." She grinned at the small creature, and hugged it appreciatively. "You have been an incredible help, dear."

The snowman, glowing with happiness and pride, walked out of sight, but his childish voice remained as present as ever. "What a nice cake," he commented, "saying "Congratulations For the New Baby" and all. It doesn't look like it want warm hugs too badly like you and I do, though."

Gerda fought back a titter at the subject title, and the recent memory associated with it.

_ "I didn't know what possessed the Queen today, but she started buying out the entire bakery, regardless of what they said on them! You should have seen the look on the shopkeeper's face, I thought he was going to collapse in astonishment!" the Royal Guard Captain chuckled._

_"...That explains the "Get Better Soon" title on a few of them." Gerda replied. "I thought somebody recently came down with a malady."_

_"Let me tell you, hauling all of the parcels here has been absolute murder on my arms! I don't know if I can even swing a sword properly anymore, Gerda."_

_"Didn't she offer to help and carry some of them, Captain?" _

_"Yes, but a Queen shouldn't-" the Captain protested. _

_"Then you only have your stubbornness to blame."_

_"_Hey," Olaf shouted from the sidelines, once again butting into Gerda's flashback, "is it true that you were there when Elsa and Anna were born? Did you get to hold them as a baby?"

"Why yes, little one..." The words rolled pleasantly and nostalgically in Gerda's tongue, an affectionate term she had not spoken in years. "I was right next to the midwife both times, wiping Queen Idun's sweat away while she was giving birth." Gerda raised her hands and held them slightly apart, so that they were just barely the length of her feet. "They were only this big when they were first introduced into the world..."

It's been twenty-one years ago, but Gerda could still recall those days as clearly as she could see the back of her hand. Elsa and Anna, once small enough to fit into large shoes, tiny and defenseless enough that they required protection, and to be cooed at every given opportunity, developed at a blinding pace. In just a few years, the two best friends were strong enough to cause a ruckus in the castle, knocking over set pieces of armor and breaking furniture as they played in enchanted snow, often with the servants.

Then, their childhood was immediately snuffed out thirteen years ago, before Elsa and Anna could even reach adolescence.

In the blink of an eye, before anyone, especially themselves, could fully appreciate their time as young children, the Princesses turned into women, stunning and strong, and just a little sad.

As she left her station to investigate the baked goods, a glistening chocolate cake as plump and round as Gerda was wide, she fought back a couple of tears, and sniffled. "Hard to believe that they would grow up so fast..."

The snowman inhaled loudly with excitement. Gerda heard the scraping of a stool, and his voice still trailed from somewhere. "Then, did Elsa still had her winter powers?"

"Oh my, yes!" Gerda laughed, still teary-eyed. "It was quite a shock when she fir-"

"But how did you know it was her?" Olaf interrupted. "And when you found out, how did you know Anna couldn't do the magic?"

"Olaf, I-"

"How were you able to deal with it?" the snowman yammered on. "Did Elsa and Anna make lots and lots of snowmen before me? Did Elsa ever play pranks? Oh, I just know she would have. I've met plenty of kids, even the shy and quiet ones like Elsa, who would still love a good prank!" He tilted his head in curiosity. "Mostly, they did it on me, kicking my head off and tossing it around while Anna tried to stop them... You know, I don't think children make very good listeners. And then-"

"Slow down there, dear!" Gerda protested. "You can be too much like Princess Anna sometimes! You should at least know when to breathe!"

"Great!... But, exactly how do I breathe-"

"splash"

Gerda whipped her head around, and saw a little figure standing in front of the boiling pot of milk. "Little one!" she cried. She rushed through the tiled floor, knocking over a couple of stools in the process, and snatched Olaf away before he could melt any faster from the fire. Her heart was pumping in overtime, hammering against her ears as the adrenaline rush threatened to knock her out. "What were you doing!? You could have gotten yourself burnt or killed!"

"Ah can' really 'heel nah 'hace." The snowman murmured. He slowly pointed at the steaming pot above the stove fire.

Gerda peeked into the pot of boiling milk, and didn't know whether to choke back in horror or grim amusement. A lump of snow floated on top like an island, nearly invisible against the white liquid, that quickly dissolved until it disappeared. Gerda looked back at the snowman, and noticed that a certain part of his face was missing.

"I' 'ust sthnelled 'tho good..." Olaf mumbled dejectedly.

The snowman had evidently been trying to get a whiff of the pleasant scent of warm milk, which is perfectly acceptable, if he wasn't made of a material that melted so easily. He was also allured by the gentle heat, not realizing that the fire and steam was indeed hot enough to melt him, until _plop,_ he lost half his face.

Upon closer inspection of Olaf's face, the missing pile of snow, now evenly mixed in the boiling milk, was... erm.

Well, it was Olaf's lower jaw.

Because his bottom lip is now gone, Olaf found it incredibly difficult to speak, even lamely. His new appearance gave him a peculiar look; it was as if someone decided to build a small snowman, but eschewed the traditional head in a fit of artistic madness, opting to instead stick a crudely sculpted bird on top, with a bucktooth attached to the end of the beak for good measure.

Gerda scratched the back of her neck, baffled by the event that had just occurred. "I don't really know how to fix snow sculptures," she said, perhaps a bit ruefully. True, she does serve a Lady of Ice and Snow, but it had never occurred for years to the maid to practice in first-aid for snowmen.

So, instead of trying to fix Olaf, and inevitably worsen the situation with more chaos, Gerda remained where her training lied, her safe zone; she brought her attention to the cake, then to the stove. The attendant grabbed a spoon to dip into the steaming liquid, and tasted it to test the milk's temperature. "Olaf," she said gently, seeing no need to admonish his behavior. "Why don't you go grab some more sugar from the bag? We'll find Queen Elsa after we're done, and have you fixed right back up."

The oblong, bucktoothed bird-head cheered and skipped away. "O'hay!"

Gerda smiled at Olaf's unabashed optimism, and added some of the cocoa powder to the pot. She's not going to waste some perfectly good milk, after all.

_Now..._ she wondered. _Is it better to say nothing, or tell the Royal Family Olaf's mouth had been in there?_

* * *

><p><strong>Gerda was actually supposed to be Kai, but I realized the poor gal did not get a lot of mentions in other fanfics. She's practically a blank canvas just waiting to be painted on. So, I experimented, but got slightly carried away.<strong>

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen._**


	10. Ch 10: It's Just You and Me

**Standard Protocol: All rights to the characters and settings of this fanwork is owned by Disney, except for the increasingly large number of my OCs.**

**Additional Standard Protocol: Special thanks goes to FrozenRose1 for being my beta-reader. She's been doing quite the job as my Second Opinion. **

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 10<span>

It's Just You and Me

* * *

><p>Adam the Adventurer's journal stunned its readers with its last records. It wasn't hard to see why; the seemingly innocuous section the old book was an open door, leading to a dangerous world that shared reality with the mundane, just out of sight, and out of most minds. The dark night that shrouded Arendelle immediately became just a bit more oppressive, a little more threatening, for who knows what kind of eldritch secrets and creatures sheltered themselves beneath the moon and stars, in this kingdom, at this very moment?<p>

Even worse was the revelation of the enemy's true capabilities. Elsa and Anna had always remembered their Father telling them the tales of Prince Adam, but never in these startling details. It made sense, given that they were merely children at the time, but that did little to ease the surprise.

The Spøkelse came as even more a shock. Sure, they remembered that this ancient spirit, one that has existed for more than three hundred years, had been attacking people indiscriminately, and was eventually left stranded in the Lost Woods, where it belonged.

What King Akthar never saw fit to tell the Royal Sisters, however, was that the monster plagued its victims with vicious and horrid memories, hammering those venomous thoughts into their heads until it left nothing but empty husks and begging, broken messes in its wake.

Helge and Kristoff, on the other hand, were hardly perturbed by the information, and displayed near-stoic expressions, looking remarkably like statues. Accepting the journal's contents came more easily to them; having lived in troll territory before, beyond the thin borders that separates mystical creatures and humanity, both mountain man and troll had their fair share of scrapes with things that go bump in the night.

Although, a closer look at Helge's stone face will reveal slightly narrowed eyes and flared nostrils. The little troll, one of Grand Pabbie's protégés, and a dabbler of memory magic himself, was severely insulted by the Spøkelse's abuse of power. To have his grandfather's signature field desecrated into something so perverse and destructive...

Such a reaction was not natural for trolls, who were raised with love and joy at the center of their focus.

Anna was the one to finally voice her thoughts. "I don't get it..." The princess crossed her arms, and leaned back against her chair, frowning in concentration. She tried looking bold, and even thought about raising her feet on the table, if Elsa had not been there.

"Hm?" inquired Helge. He faced the young redhead, his severe features reverting back into his usual troll expressions.

"Why doesn't this Spolkese-

"Spøkelse, Anna." Elsa corrected.

"Spolkese, Spøkelse, bleagh. Why doesn't just... well, you know..." Anna couldn't really bring herself to say the next few words. Instead, she raised a hand underneath her chin, index finger outstretched, and swiped sideways, imitating a cut across the throat.

"Anna..." Kristoff whispered, his eyes hardening. "Ghosts cannot directly kill."

Anna blinked at the mountain man. "Oh, oh! Well, that's good..."

Kristoff did not change from his dark expression at all, and Anna knew that she had hit a faux pas. The Princess raised her shoulders and cringed, internally cursing her running mouth. "...kinda. I guess?" she amended, brushing a hair past her ear nervously. "A-Adam wrote that the lady's brother was still alive and breathing!... Right?"

Helge knelt on the table, and laid a stone hand tentatively on Anna's shoulder. "Your Highness. If a victim does not perish first, he or she will indeed live." The troll leaned even closer, so they were seeing eye-to-eye. "...But what is a person without a soul?"

Anna blinked at Helge's severe gaze, and said nothing.

Helge stood back up, and proceeded by saying, "The Spøkelse's victims will continue to survive, but they will have no means of remaining so for long. The empty body will wither away, as one would without nourishment." His voice grew harsher as he flicked the old tome with his fingers. "There was still a body count. A battle between spirits and others of supernatural relations is a clash of wills," the troll reminded, repeating Adam's written words. "You lose everything the moment you no longer have any resolve to continue fighting..."

Helge sat back on the table with a dull clunk, rubbing his temple with stubby fingers. "Hm... In this context, the likely Spøkelse bullies its victims with memories of pain, until they no longer wish to fight back. That way, they would give the demon permission to absorb their souls. It will grow in strength as more souls are subjugated to its power."

Anna opened her mouth, but no sound escaped her lips. She had to try again to be more successful. "But that means..."

"You have to make the decision to give up yourself." Elsa said quietly, finishing her sister's sentence.

A slight breeze, blown in from an indeterminable origin, was the only sound that occupied the following silence.

"...Elsa," a sense of urgency began to creep in Anna's voice. "It's starting to freeze."

The Queen flicked her view upwards, and sucked in a breath in surprise. She saw everyone's breaths, thin wisps of clouds that floated from their lips, refract in the silver moonlight coming through the windows. Pages and papers rustled and flapped like miniature flags, as a chill wind was beginning to pick up within the library. Snowflakes began to fall, produced by magic bleeding from its unnerved source. Ice spilled from Elsa's body, small crystalline shards that clinked and tinkled, clinging to the chair she sat on, and spreading out onto the carpet.

Elsa's arms crossed themselves into a solitary hug, and she shut her eyelids in a futile attempt to isolate and calm her mind.

The last thing Elsa realized hit her too close to home.

_What would it be like to be forfeit yourself to fate, because it was just too much work to fight anymore?_

_Who are you trying to deceive?_

_You already have, once._

"Elsa!"

The Queen snapped her eyes open, and was nearly blinded by white; a full-scale blizzard was now swirling within the room. She looked around desperately, darting her view everywhere, completely lost, confused, and scared.

The only truth she was aware of was that she feared for her life now. The Queen could just barely see the abandoned ships behind the snow, stranded on the desolate fjord. They tilted and turned with deep moans, the frozen sea an entire graveyard of skeletal beasts. Elsa would have been amongst them, had she not escaped from her cell room.

An echo of breaking ice was heard overhead, somewhere in the distance, cracking like a thousand whips repeatedly. The sound was quickly drowned in the howling wind, which screamed deafeningly at Elsa's ears with unrestrained fury.

She wanted to run further, away from the executioner's sword that was seeking for her blood, but the Queen was stuck to a chair, somehow. It served as her chain, her constraint, one that bound her tighter than those horrid iron shackles have ever done. She breathed rapidly, and clutched at her chest in pain. Something within Elsa swelled and constricted her lungs, and the Queen withdrew her arms even tighter together to push it back inside. The storm was getting worse, the pressure was building, she couldn't hold it back anymore-

And then, out of the raging blasts of wind, someone's lithe fingers shot forward and grabbed Elsa sturdily by the hand.

Elsa recoiled as fiery lightning bolted its way up her arm, and jolted her heart and brain. Her eyes followed the lady's hand to her freckled face, and spotted the clear, startlingly blue eyes of Anna, full of strength and resolve. Elsa hyperventilated, terrified that she was going to hurt her little sister, to freeze her heart again, and she was in half a mind to tear herself away and flee as far as her feet can take her.

_Love thaws..._

That's right... love. That was what she needed. Not to run away and reject the world for everyone's safety, but to realize she wasn't alone.

Bit by bit, reality started to piece itself together again. There were no barren ships to be seen, no shattering of sea ice. There was no one out to execute her, to cut her down for her unforgivable sins. The chair was no longer a restraint, but just as it was always intended to be; a simple wooden chair, to be sat upon in a quiet library.

Elsa inhaled slowly and fully, and exhaled at the same speed. The pressure that had been building up within her weakened and died down, like opening the lid slightly on a whistling teapot.

Gradually, she regained her composure, assisted by the warm hand that tingled with vibrant life in her hand. The wind ceased its howling, causing the snow to settle gently and harmlessly onto the carpet floor. Elsa was no longer on the frozen fjord; she was among rows of bookshelves, some furniture, and three visible figures of varying sizes, all coated in white snow.

Elsa brought a hand to her mouth in horror. "Please, forgive me!"

The largest pile of snow coughed once dryly, shaking clumps of powder from his blond hair and face.

Another, the one closest to Elsa, wiped snow away with the back of her hand to reveal a smile, earnest blue eyes, and cheeks colored pink from the cold. "Elsa," Anna comforted, "you're doing just fine."

"R-really?" The platinum-blonde woman didn't whether or not her sister was being honest, or just trying to prevent the Snow Queen from having another meltdown.

"Of course." Anna squeezed Elsa's hand assuredly, before going in for a full embrace. "Trust me, this could have ended much more badly!"

"I'm... I-I'm terribly sorry." Elsa said. She buried her face into Anna's warm shoulder, wiping away tears that were bound to fall anytime soon. The Queen melted in pleasure from being able to touch her sister so freely. Anna's hug was like a thick blanket, a warm fireplace, and the smell of fresh flowers all at once. Elsa couldn't help but wallow in the Princess's love and affection, a little child blissfully secure within her sister's secure and strong arms.

For thirteen years, Elsa had yearned for this wonderful gift, which used to be so commonplace when she was still a young girl.

Elsa found herself laughing waveringly, but detested the sound coming forth from her lips; the laugh was too bitter to be joyful, and too full of self-loathing to be genuine. "I'm a mess," she hiccuped. Despite wishing to hold onto her perfect sister forever, Elsa forced herself to push away, and raised her pale hands. "I cannot even control my feelings before my powers start slipping out of control!"

Anna opened her mouth to say something to the contrary, but someone beat her to the punch.

"I'd have to agree with the Queen here."

Elsa and Anna snapped their eyes to across the table, and were surprised the see that Kristoff was the one who spoke up. Elsa quickly moved her head away from his brown, calculating eyes, which she was ashamed to say have agitated her. His gaze pressed against Elsa and sent chills down her spine, an entirely different force than the wintry one within; she knew the ice harvester was judging her.

As a subject of Arendelle, and her sister's trusted boyfriend beside, he had every right to do so.

"You make it snow and hail whenever you feel upset or scared," Kristoff said. "I get that. You can't really prevent it, so you might as well stop trying." He braced himself for Anna's inevitable death glare, but nearly withered anyway when it came.

Standing on the edge of the table, safe from the line of fire, Helge grinned sheepishly.

Kristoff shot his adoptive brother a dirty look, and quickly added, "I'm sorry if those words came out wrong!" Kristoff diverted his eyes back to Elsa, partly to escape his girlfriend's surprisingly icy stare. "However hard you try... it's impossible to hold back your powers, because that would require you to restrain yourself from everything, from everyone. I-I think you both know just how well that worked..." The young man, visibly sweating and knowing he just approached a sensitive topic, was certain that he was in for a punishment before the morning could arrive. "I-I'm just trying to say that there's no use in bashing yourself over your own emotions. What you're doing, feeling negative thoughts, it's completely normal!" He sucked in a breath to steel himself, and placed a hand on his chest. "Elsa, you just happen to come with a- a bonus. It's a human thing, something you can't simply shut out... so forcing yourself is only going to make it worse. Just remember that you have us, instead."

Anna was still visibly irritated at Kristoff and his blunt wording, but stopped staring daggers at him. The ice harvester gulped audibly, aware that this pot of trouble was not done boiling over just yet.

Elsa, on the other hand, found herself mulling over his remarks.

_There's no use in bashing yourself for something human._

Something about that phrase seemed to... relieve her, somehow.

Maybe it was because Elsa was desperate. Maybe it was because she sought confirmation that she was indeed not a monster, but a person who deserved to stand side by side with her family and friends.

Helge, knowing that he was nowhere near experienced enough in humanity to assist the three the way Grand Pabbie could, detected that the coast was clear, and cleared his throat to attract everyone's attention. He was ready to proceed with Adam's story in Ravendall.

Everyone dipped their heads to him, their faces set in iron resolve once more. The troll nodded back at them grimly, and flipped the old scripture to read from the next journal entry.

* * *

><p><strong>Page 86:<strong> _Five. Four. Three. Two..._

_One._

The chimes of the old grandfather clock rang melodically and solemnly, signaling the farewell of the dying day.

As of today, this marks my eighth consecutive day without visiting Guðmundr. I was supposed to have visited tonight- no, yesterday.

It's done.

My deal with him is over.

I'm free.

I don't have to listen to his life-threatening demands anymore.

I don't have to risk an arm and leg, to fight the living embodiments of fevered nightmares that haunt reality.

I don't have to slave away in forest beds, to listen to the often inane chatter of people who don't register as human.

As I walked down the dark and foggy hallways of what is supposed to be my home, another realization dawned upon me.

I never wanted the agreement to end.

My footsteps echoed in the oversized castle, rolling into a muted, gentle thunder that pervaded for entire minutes, pushing through the thick mists as if they were veils.

I was more than familiar with this sound, for it has been more than a week since I locked myself in here.

One of the knight armor props turned its helmet to me, and raised a hand to its visor in a salute. I nodded back at it in acknowledgement, and looked down on the palace floor as the suit remained in its post.

The winding carpet patterns with vivid shades of indigo and purple, mixed with an array of gold stars, started to twist and bend on their own accord. The lines morphed into hissing, thick serpents, casting coiled silhouettes within the fog that snapped at my unprotected heels with razor teeth.

I brushed them off completely, fully accepting that the castle suddenly developed snake pits.

Frankly, I've been ignoring a lot of things in the last couple of days. Even the freezing cold that was overtaking the castle seemed hardly a thing of note, compounded by the fact that I didn't see ice crystallize anywhere. In all seriousness, I don't remember how to sleep anymore, and I'm certain my sanity has taken a dip for of it. After all, I'm fairly sure the suit of armor shouldn't have been able to see anyone, much less a Prince, through those impractical visors.

Voices boomed in my head, all of them irritatingly loud in the hollow silence of the castle.

_Adam, what on God's graces has happened to Ravendall? I came out of my room, only to see a great, thick fog that smothered the entire castle! Next thing I knew, there was a brilliant flash of- Adam? Adam!_

_Why do you keep saying this is all your fault?_

_I'm sorry, King Trigve. It appeared your brother has developed insomnia..._

_More and more people are dying, Adam!_

_Your Majesty, he wouldn't eat his supper- force him down his throat!?_

_Can't you just defeat it like always said you have done?_

No, I can't. I'm too weak, too worthless to cut down even a piddling little mouse.

I took another step, parting the fog that laid on the floor like splashing water. The smog had managed to invade indoors, limiting visibility even within my gilded cage. It gave the darkened castle an even more foreboding atmosphere as a result, which only exacerbated my desire to be rid of this place.

No... I can't. "It" is still out there, lurking, waiting for me. That was why I cannot leave. That was why I cannot sleep.

Sometimes, the grey smoke covered paintings, which I have occasionally mistaken for windows. There were a few instances where I swore I could have seen someone smile and dance to an unheard galliard at the corner of my vision, or a battle of massive proportions raging soundlessly between uniformed men on horseback. Such delusions always fade and disappear when I try to finally approach them, though.

Other times, the grey smoke seemed to collect in a single location, creating vague shapes that could even be considered humanoid. For example, this one column of darkened ash stood alone at a fork in the hallway ahead of me, dressed in red garments-

No, wait.

I squinted blearily at the hazy outline. With each slow blink, I was growing more and more convinced that what I mistook for dark patch of cloud was a real person, the genuine article. I stumbled closer for inspection, until I was finally able to discern a tall man who stood in the midst of the smog. His face wasn't recognizable, unfortunately, but the man was dressed in the tradition scarlet and gold royal garbs of a messenger. By the way he formally stood, he appeared to have been waiting for me.

I waved a hand, gesturing for the Royal Messenger to proceed with his job. "Fire away, mister."

The man bent down for a curt bow, and announced, "I have more recent news of the kingdom's current condition, sir."

"Okay..." I said, my head tilted slightly befuddlement. This man's voice sounded very peculiar and just a tad bit garbled, most likely because of the acoustics of the empty hallways. Yeah, that seems about right.

The man, at least seemingly catching on to my puzzled expression, raised a hand to his mouth to clear his throat, puffing a few wisps of smoke with a few coughs. "The Ravendall Military is still unable to find a path out of the vast mist surrounding the kingdom. The lands beyond the town borders have become impossible to map and plot. I'm afraid Ravendall will remain trapped and isolated from outside help until further notice."

I grunted apathetically, staring at nothing in particular. "Tell me something I don't know."

"The air is growing colder and colder, sir. Nothing has developed frost, miraculously, but Ravendall's vegetation and livestock are suffering, and the people along with it. The water, which should have iced over a day ago, has literally become too cold to drink, and many are struggling just to remain warm with what's left of the firewood stock.

_Right, right. The recent chill..._

The muscles in my brow tensed into a scowl, as my brain produced a clear thought for the first time in a week.

..._In summer?_

"This mysterious plague, sir... People are _dying_."

I winced, as if I had been stabbed by a sharp blade.

_Why would I owe you a favor, Markus? you left me for dead!_

No, it wasn't because the herald emphasized that last word.

_Sir, what are doing with that soldier's sword? Sir!_

_Please... just- just her go. I'll come with you, I promise! Just don't hurt my daughter!_

I winced, because of the fresh wave of flashbacks that now threatened to overwhelm my conscience.

They were... parting gifts. Gifts that were sent to me daily, much to my extreme discomfort.

I nearly lost my footing from the disorienting images, a tableau of random colors and scenes that flashed in no particular order before my eyes. As I staggered to a side of the corridor, I banged my head against the forehead of a marble bust, turning my entire vision scarlet with pain.

"And everything is all your fault, Adam."

"'Everything... is all my fault.'" I breathed, parroting the man's words.

_Wait, what? _I blinked at the messenger, as if I was seeing him for the very first time.

I had to thank that ugly replica head for nearly busting mine open, because the invasive memories vanished in the wake of the fresh bruise, kicking my wits back into focus. I nursed the injury as my brain painfully dusted itself free of the mental cobwebs and nightmares, until I could finally run trains of logic again... starting with this one.

Something was very amiss; even the most frank Royal Heralds shouldn't be this... direct. This guy would have been sacked out of the castle for his lack of tact and subtlety, months before he could even give a regular economy report. What kind of person would be running around at this moment, denouncing royalty?

More importantly, what was he doing, reporting to _me, _when its already established I'm not fit to help the kingdom in my current condition?

I peered at this messenger's face for a closer look, and was astonished to realize that I didn't recognize him, at all.

Contrary to popular belief, the royalty of Ravendall made it a responsibility to commit the identities of each one of their employees, in both name and face, to memory. Mostly, it was a strategy devised to prevent assassination attempts carried out in disguise. Seeing as I already have enough beasties in the Lost Woods waiting in line to kill me for what I have done to them, I hadn't bothered to study up the record books until a week ago; I was forced to develop the habit because I had absolutely nothing else to do in the barren castle.

All of this,

this destruction and pain,

_all the blame can be laid at your feet._

The herald's voice, initially sounding just a bit erratic, as if it reverberated too excitedly through the barren halls, escalated in pitch and discord. A sneaking suspicion tugged at the back of my neck, which only increased in strength by the second. My blood ran nearly as cold as the air infecting the kingdom. "W-who are you..."

_you have already forgotten me, have you_

As the messenger spoke, I no longer worried about having to remember his face; the creature standing in the halls dropped its disguise for me. The scarlet shades of the herald's clothing washed down, fresh paint being swept by an invisible rain. More features began to melt away from its body, like candle wax rendered to liquid by an open flame. What I initially believed was human skin sagged off its cheeks and nose, dripping thickly onto the floor in pale drops of goop. The little splatters of slime boiled and frothed, pluming into thick grey clouds, touched with shades of rust. The monster's body writhed and elongated, until it was almost twice my height. It had to bend its back to accommodate the lower ceiling, conveniently looming over me like Death itself.

I stared up at the Spøkelse's true form, that hideous, twisted, scorched body made of tarnished metal and blotches of corrosion. Its face was almost skull-like in appearance, assisted by sunken cheekbones and disarrayed teeth. Each of its orifices and pores vented even more miasma that thickened the smoke in the castle. It was a relief that I only had to look at its empty eye sockets; the demon's eyeballs had either already fallen off or melted away, saving me from fainting out of sheer grotesqueness.

_you tried to kill me_

The creature rested a massive, skeletal hand on its chest, which contained the only attribute that was even remotely pleasant to look at; a clean gorge that stretched from the monster's pelvis, running all the way up to the its left shoulder. In the spewing clouds of soot, the scar managed to stand out by glowing faintly with a gentle, white light.

_a hand for a hand_

_an eye for an eye_

A bolt of smog, thick as the trunk of a full-grown tree, slammed right front of my left toe. The attack was a solid impact that cracked the floor beneath the carpets, rattling my feet all the way to my spine. I cursed my luck; these mind games, these torture sessions that the Spøkelse had been playing on me were increasingly elaborate.

I didn't spend time to mentally kick myself for being lured within the monster's proximity, and neither did I gape in shock. That would be a waste of precious seconds. I scrambled away, panting, my heart beating at the same rapid tempo of my pounding feet.

Pelting at full speed, I came to a corner at the end of the hall. Abruptly, I stomped my foot to stop myself and change momentum, so I wouldn't crash into the wall like an inebriated fool.

Just barely a second later, a whisper of wind sounded out, and something brushed past my face in a blur, sweeping a lock of hair. The object, revealed to be a massive and rusted shaft, slammed and dug itself into the wallpaper, quivering from the impact. Even in my frenzied state, I shivered; if I was a second slower, the spear would have been quivering by landing somewhere else.

Only one thought commanded my body at that moment, with such incredible clarity that I forgot I hadn't slept in an entire week: I have to get into my room.

The Ulfberht was in my room.

I sped through several corridors, many artworks and countless decorations, before the door to my bedroom was within sight. My muscles burned like fire, and my lungs wheezed for their last available breaths of fresh air. Desperately, my hand shot forward to grip the freezing brass handle. I gasped, and cringed heavily; the metal seemed hiss and steam, gluing itself my palms and fingers. Had the kingdom been so cursed the cold was intense enough to burn?

I shut my eyes, shoving away from my mind the icy needles that pierced and burned my skin, and swung the door open violently. I wrenched my hand free from the blistering doorknob, and darted into the threshold. I then slammed my back against it from the other side, hoping that I would be able to shut the Spøkelse out.

_One... Two... Three..._

There was nothing. No incoming footsteps, no ramming against my admittedly flimsy door, and no thunderous roars. Just the sound of my beating heart, which slowly faded to a regular pace.

_Seven... Eight... Nine..._

_What on Earth are you doing, counting? You know very well how useless that tic is._

_Hm...?_

Pins pricked and poked at my back. The sensation was acutely painful, as if thousands of giant spiders with sewing needles for feet crawled up and down on my spine, biting and stabbing freezing venom into my flesh. The hairs on my skin stood at their ends, and I itched something fierce. I resisted the instinctual urge to scratch and twist in fright, because that is a good way to be distracted from impending death. Slowly I sat up away from the door, feeling the sensation come to pass with instantaneous relief. and turned around to a chilling sight.

A jagged blade stuck out of the door, evidently having punctured my back. The dark metal didn't even leave any marks or cracks behind, but passed through the wood as if it was nonexistent. As I watched in bewilderment, the blade seemed to drain the door of its color, spreading outwards like a bizarre sort of corrosion. The blade bleached everything else around it, until my entire room was in monochrome shades of grey.

_Fourteen... Fifteen... Sixteen..._

My eyes darted around for the Ulfberht, which I had stored in my room since my self-imposed house arrest. Trigve forced me into keeping it within, since I had been intimidating the servants by brandishing and swinging a naked blade around. He convinced me after saying I could potentially harm others with my rampant paranoia.

But... It's only paranoia if such behavior is unfounded.

My legs forfeited beneath me, and I slammed against the floor helplessly. They had reached their limit.

I had to pull myself up with my arms, which were barely of any use themselves, to trudge and crawl my way to where I stored it, underneath my bed.

Something hissed angrily behind me, so I spun around to watch as a grey figure, man-sized this time, slipped straight through the entrance, merely resisted by what amounts to flimsily elastic paper. I could literally see a spectral image of the door's decorative patterns fighting against him, a threshold that tried to protect its sole inhabitant before giving way completely.

I attempted to pull the the sword out by the handle, but I was now physically too weak to even lift it out by one millimeter. Choosing the other option, I backed away and curled against the corner, hugging the scabbard as tightly as a child would with a security blanket.

The monster, shrouded in cold soot and ash, stood over me like an undertaker, judging with lurid iron orbs for eyes. The Spøkelse waved an appendage to form a long spear, whose cruel point gleamed in rust-tinted rays. It raised the shaft above its shoulders, and then launched the weapon with the destructive force of a cannon.

In my perspective, even at the spear's breakneck speed, it appeared to be almost frozen in time. I was nothing but mere prey in the way of the lance's trajectory, impotent and trapped. I could do nothing but brace myself mentally as it glided in the air with sinister grace, in a near straight line.

With a sickening splat, it sunk into my gut, and embedded itself into the floor beneath me. I gasped like a dying fish out of water, feeling the unnatural chill of the iron shaft spread from my stomach, constricting my heart, and freezing my brain.

_This is a mental attack. This is just an attack on your mind. You are not actually impaled. You are not even bleeding._

It sure felt like it, though. I groaned tortuously, releasing the sword from my hands onto the bloodless carpet, as my vision faded rapidly.

_give up_

* * *

><p>Nobody wanted to lift me up on my feet, give me a warm embrace, or even do something as little as to touch me. If I wasn't treated with complete indifference, I was glowered at with pure contempt. Such is the way of a leper, forever cast aside because of his agonizing existence.<p>

With each passing day, as I lived on the meager porridge the rare Samaritan would provide, I awaited the day when I could finally rest, once and for all. If only I could finally succumb to my disease, I would be able to ignore the stares, the harsh whispers behind my backs.

I don't have anyone to call a friend or a family anymore. They abandoned me as if I was trash, which would have been more useful to them anyway.

I couldn't even tell if the parasites gnawing at the insides of my skull were real worms, or just my psychosis acting up again.

_give up_

* * *

><p>I couldn't forgive myself. I... I never will.<p>

Hate, hate, hate!

I am a fool, a sick, twisted, perverted excuse of a human being.

What was I thinking, kissing her!? She was my best friend, the one bright spot of my life each day, and I had to be an idiot. I had to be reckless. I had to go and tear everything that I worked so hard for to pieces with a lousy spur of the moment.

Absolutely selfish. Completely disgusting. Not even a person, but a creature to be loathed.

Why couldn't I be happy with just being friends? That was supposed to suffice! That was supposed to be all I deserve...

She will reach her father soon. I'll be chased out my family and out of Ravendall, or be carried away by those demented doctors once again.

What is _wrong_ with me? Why couldn't I just be the good person everyone expects me to be?

Why... why couldn't I find love the way a normal person should?

_give up_

* * *

><p>My perspective couldn't really focus on anything besides the spear buried in my stomach. My mind was so scrambled, I took those invasive memories, the shades of the miserable souls, in stride; I didn't even have the energy or resolve to cry or writhe in agony anymore.<p>

The blurry silhouette shifted its body a hair lower, and a gust of smoke-congested wind flitted through my hair. The Spøkelse... almost sounded like it sighed in exasperation.

A smoky hand coalesced on the spear puncturing my torso, gripping the handle, and twisted it in place. Nausea oozed its way upwards, and my breathing became more shallow, until I was almost huffing impotently, starved for air. Impossibly, beyond the flashbacks that wormed their way deeper into my conscience, and the blood furiously pumping into my head, I was able to see the color of my clothes starting to fade and bleach from the entry point, and the monster's blazing eyes.

_give up_

I wanted to. I really, really wanted do. It seemed to be a delicious choice, to no longer worry about maintaining agreements, to no longer be a disappointment of a Prince. I wouldn't have to suffer any more injuries or attacks that threatened either my life, or my sanity.

Really, if I finally surrendered, I could stop worrying about the pains of life in general.

My hand raised itself waveringly, and clutched at the handle of the Ulfberht lying on the floor. I became surprised when the blade slid easily from its sheathe, ridiculously so. I stared at the edge of the sword, not entirely certain on what I was about to do.

There was this one inkling of an idea, though, which didn't seem like such a bad suggestion at the time. I care not to explain it.

As I drew the enchanted sword closer to myself, I found myself rather unruffled to see images twinkling on the bright steel; I might as well be completely mad, anyhow. The smooth and flat sides of the Ulfberht reflected what I believed to be my face, except that I was in a much different condition; I expected to see my frail, pallid, draugr-like appearance, but saw a healthier me instead, full of laughter, pride, and joy.

With an air of nostalgia, I watched as the steel displayed memories of the many days I have spent exploring the Lost Woods, in all of its lush beauty and splendor. Like moving portraits, the white blade repeated the epic fights, wild chases and negotiations I have been involved in, a few of them tedious, many of them exhilarating, most of them terrifying. I had only managed to survive through each of them with a bit of quick wit, reliable companions, and heaps of sheer dumb luck.

Even so, after a hard day's work, I would always feel a little proud of myself, knowing I was able to help Ravendall the one way I could without typically screwing it over. Me, Prince Adam, the useless second-born heir, who couldn't give a toss about politics, too confused about the treachery of economy and business, and too short-sighted and silly to be a military commander, was finally able to make a difference.

Then, I considered my beautiful kingdom, and all the various people who call it home. I imagined as many people as my thoughts could muster, some who were lovingly detailed, and others who were more vaguely recalled. It wasn't possible to remember everyone who lived in Ravendall, but I tried anyway, because every one of them was a person that I would sacrifice myself for in a heartbeat. Heck, I even included my brother, King Trigve, despite everything we had been through over the past year.

They all looked at me, a plethora of faces in various levels of cleanliness, shapes, moods, jobs, and outlooks. Each citizen had their share of enjoyable qualities, as well as their flaws, some of which were severe enough for me to outright dislike them.

But, most of all, they were people of Ravendall. I would sooner be subjugated by the demonic spirit, rather than risk the kingdom further harm.

However... was that even a choice?

With this epiphany, a flashback, stronger than any of the parasitic invaders trying to conquer my conscience, shoved everything aside and replayed itself with great clarity. An icy pit formed at the bottom of my stomach, because the recollection was from my _own_ head, taking place when I confronted the Spøkelse invaded Ravendall.

_how much will you have to lose_

_until hope finally abandons you to the inescapable depths below_

It said it'll kill me...

"But... did you promise?"

The Spøkelse's form flickered in response, bewildered at the sudden question.

_what_

"Did you promise for the safety of my people, after I'm gone? Did you say that you will stop consuming souls after you're through with me?"

The Spøkelse said nothing.

A fire burning white and hot started within my belly, giving me warmth that clashed against the unnatural chill. It spread to my entire being, melting away the fears, clearing my mind and sight, and reigniting my resolve.

I was many things, but a naïve moron was not one of them; I immediately understood from its lack of response that, even long after I'm no longer around, it will continue to kill others without discrimination, becoming nigh-invincible with enough time. If I were to give up here, how will anyone else be able to destroy it, to free the lost souls trapped within it?

I raised a hand to the spear planted deep in my gut. If I were to lose here, I would never forgive myself, even after an eternity in a purgatorial afterlife.

"W-will you stop killing people, even after I'm dead?" I asked, coughing. "Did you even bother to lie to me?" I heaved with all that was left of my strength, my arm quaking with fatigue as vivid pain sent spasms through my entire being. I sucked in a breath, and pulled even harder, sweat dripping down my brow and stinging my eyes. When the torment proved too much, I only permitted myself a couple of seconds to reprieve, before trying once more. The ghostly metal in my grasp began to smoke and char profusely, as if my fingers and palm were white-hot brands against it.

The Spøkelse watched me with unnatural stillness as I gave a final tug, and yanked the spear fully out of my body. It fell with a clatter on the floor, before dissolving into ash and burnt cinders. The hand which I used to pull the shaft out fell limply onto my stomach, which no longer had anything sticking out of it, or even an open hole. I smiled deliriously in relief.

_all humans deserve the same fate that will come to you_

"I see." A laughter bubbled in my throat, escaping with almost gleeful madness and scorn. "If that is your answer, then I'm not gonna just cage myself and watch while you march around all mighty and high. Go ahead, try swallowing me! I would probably just muck around in your insides until you vomit each and every soul out in disgust! No matter what, I'll make sure to wipe that smug expression out of your face, Holmgeirr!"

I couldn't even lift the sword with my other hand to point at the Spøkelse anymore, but I didn't care. I jeered at the great monster, and seethed, "So here's _my_ answer to you: Bite. Me. You impotent, limped-staffed kut!"

The Spokelse did not make a growl in response, exactly. However, a rumbling that could have been mistaken for a miniature earthquake did strike my room, knocking over loose furniture and flinging books from their shelves. Soot vented everywhere as if by a volcano, nearly choking my bedroom in grey miasma. The smog solidified, forming thousands upon thousands of spears, casting vast shadows that couldn't even permit a single speck of light through. All I could do was watch as they aimed at me, gunning straight for my heart.

I shot an audacious, toothy smile back at them and the wrathful ghost in response. My entire body is tired, but that was perfectly alright. My conscience was fading, anyway.

A brilliant flash of fire, made of radiant blue and white flames that seemed to whisper in indecipherable gospels, burst in a near-silent explosion, blowing the Spøkelse and his weapons out of sight with an extraordinarily scorching and blinding gale.

I no longer paid attention afterwards.

I can finally sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Page 91: <strong>Humans have an odd way of interacting with the world around them. Take the sun, for instance; its light is often dubbed as a ray of hope, a glimmer in the darkness, a rebirth, and a silver lining behind tempest clouds, inspiring a whole slew of five-coin proverbs. Farmers need it, poets and writers praise it, and many religions worship it. Even in secular circles, the sun was a thing to appreciate and revere, and that ball of fire is not hesitant to prove why; this monarch of the sky dances all day in its pompous glory for everyone on Earth to view, outshining its neighbors, the moon and the stars, with its majesty until retiring at nightfall. The fact that many cultures call the sun a deity should come to no one's surprise.

Yet, despite its love for attention, the sun is a fickle mistress. From a cynical viewpoint, this great light fixated in the heavens fire blinds anyone who dare lay their eyes upon it, and blazes all who remained beneath it for too long.

Because I wasn't in a poetic mood at the time, my thoughts about the sun were less than cheerful.

"That idiot dwarf cheated me," I grumbled, lying on a patch of grass. I blinked at the pinpoint needles of light seeping through the forest canopy, threatening to destroy my eyesight. "This isn't a perfect napping location; it's still too bright in here!"

A different voice spoke up softly in response. "Really? I think this spot is pretty neat."

I grunted, settling myself into a comfortable position on the grassy floor. A mop of storm-grey hair settled beside me, belonging to a young man two years my junior.

"This is some bizarre stuff, this little, uh... 'yard,' you said?" Algar ruffled his fingers alongside the gentle green blades, which, upon closer inspection, were nurtured in perfectly arrayed and latticed patterns. From a bird's-eye view, the small meadow would have displayed some sort of carpet design, the owner's name, or something else just as flamboyant.

"It's fjær-grass," I explained. Unique to Ravendall, this type of special foliage is absurdly rare in the wild; Lighter than the wispiest of clouds, softer than the highest quality of feather downs, and more insulating than wool, this plant was prized in all of Norway except in human society, where people are not even aware of the plant's existence.

A good number of the smaller critters that inhabit the magical realm forgo pelts and feathers, replacing them with this type of flora, for material to make high-quality mattresses and underwear. Due its comfort and rarity, the amount of fjær-grass in one's possession became a pillar of social standing, with wealthier folks from various species owning an entire wardrobe of woven emerald blades.

I myself purchased a grass-weave undershirt from a traveling troll merchant a few weeks back, at quite the cost. It was the loveliest piece of clothing that I've ever wore, although I've attracted a few curious looks from the servants while wearing it around the castle.

"...Naturally, Guðmundr's basin, where his ash tree was located in, contained the largest plot of fjær-grass in Ravendall, making the garden patch we are currently on a distant second." I said, finishing my impromptu lesson. The dwarf who owned it granted me permission to use his treasured yard whenever I liked, as payment for a certain favor, not that I mentioned that to Algar; both the dwarf and I agreed never to speak of that incident ever again.

The boy sat up to look at the surrounding woods, enjoying the pleasant scenery that could only be appreciated in the tranquility of one of the few safe pockets within the Lost Woods. The trees swayed rhythmically to the unheard beat of the wind, rattling their leaves in harmonic whispers. I just smiled contently at him, happy that I was able to share this special part of Ravendall's forest with a living, fellow human. For once, I felt like a friend, even a brother if I daresay; someone who can be looked up to earnestly, rather than always down upon.

I closed my eyes, and sighed exasperatedly to myself for indulging in this little delusion. _Your relationship with Trigve, your own brother must have been beyond tattered by now, if you are becoming this attached to a lost child._

Algar turned his head to me brightly, commenting, "Guðmundr sounds like a difficult guy to work with, especially involving the ghosts."

"Eugh, like you wouldn't believe."

"So... why do you continue to serve him?"

"Eh?" I lifted a single eyelid to look at him questioningly. "Didn't I already tell you that we had a deal?"

"After he helped you back on your feet that time, you could've always walked away from the agreement." The boy hesitated a little, but added, "It would have saved you a load of trouble."

_Hm... _I opened both eyelids, and stared at a single leaf hanging on a tree branch. I lost myself in thought, as I watched dainty leaf valiantly dancing in the summer breeze.

_Why did I stay, when I could have just left the Lost Woods?_

I knew I was spoiling Algar, but I ought to give the kid some honesty about myself. Perhaps it would give the wannabe hermit some things to chew over. "Uh..." I started, noting the boy's full attention on me. "I guess that... that I didn't run away from Guðmundr after he saved me, because I was running a little low on people to call companions."

Admitting that was surprisingly simple and easy; I must've been in a talking mood today. "He's a callous jerk, but he was also the closest thing I had to a friend."

Algar's eyes grew as wide as tea saucers at my answer. "I thought you have a lot of friends."

I waved a hand dismissively at him. "The people in my kingdom liked me well enough," I explained, "but there's a difference between being liked, and having someone's back. Frankly, I'm sure a good number in Ravendall are only nice to me because they're afraid I might torture them for badmouthing, or something similar."

"Do you?" Algar interrupted.

Raising a single eyebrow, I wryly retorted, "Do I look like the type, kid?"

The storm-grey haired boy blinked in comprehension, and dipped his head quickly in embarrassment, aware that his comment was rhetorical. "I'm sorry... please, proceed."

I patted him on the back, wanting him to know I wasn't really offended by his remark. That's how friends are supposed to react... right? "Even King Trigve... Well, as far as I know, when he's not always calling me out, he cares; it's really hard to tell these days. We don't look at each other face-to-face anymore."

"I thought he's your family."

"Correction," I stated, raising an index finger upward to emphasize my point. "_Onl_y family. About a couple weeks after I agreed to become a Landvættir's personal lackey, Trigve and I were-..." I steeled myself for the inevitable hiccup in my mind. "…were left with only each other. He has no other choice but to put up with me, and my antics."

I could just see the wheels turning within Algar's messy hair, gears that tried to mesh together to fully grasp my situation. "I see..." he said slowly. "Then, I trust that Ravendall's forests do not have much companion material, either?"

"You're finally developing a good head on your shoulders, kid. True, I've got connections and companions all over the place, but they were mostly just for business. The closest people I have to true companions here was Guðmundr, and the ghosts, many who are just as ill-tempered as the old geezer. For them, it's an, ah, occupational hazard.

"The fact that I have an acquaintance that's human, friendly, _and _alive sitting next to me is a downright miracle!"

The boy's ruddy eyebrows raised themselves higher in surprise, now lost in his tangled bangs. "R-really?" he asked insecurely.

I grinned at him. "I'm being serious here."

"That's... that's pretty nice." he admitted, his face flushed. Algar turned himself to me, eyes still bright in color and curiosity. "You include ghosts as possible friends, right?"

"Sure," I answered, "I kind of have to, or else they will never find the peace to leave. I'm not going to bully them into moving on."

"That's incredible..." Algar breathed. "But... why help ghosts? No matter what you do, they are still dead."

I sighed, saying, "Yes, they are indeed gone forever, and nothing is ever going to change that for them. Despite what some of the kooks in the kingdom may tell you, death is final. No one, not even the most powerful spirits of the Earth, can bring someone back from beyond the afterlife.

"That won't stop me from giving ghosts the next-best thing, though," I continued. "They are still very human. They still have memories, their loved ones, and enough pasts to fill entire libraries with books detailying adventures, romance, and tragedies. These guys, these victims, they used to have hopes for their futures. Without them, they will need all the assistance they can get so they could find peace. Even if a shade is angry enough to act violently, I must help them understand that it's best they accept their fate; raging against the heavens and the world will only hurt themselves in the process, not to mention the potential collateral damage. They are still people, and someone has to play Good Samaritan."

Algar was near-silent, his eyes trailing elsewhere. The volume of his voice dropped so low, it didn't even register as a whisper. "Then... w-why do you want to help people?

"Come again?"

The boy's body twitched a little, and he mentally bashed himself for speaking too much. I can easily identify such a behavior, because I've seen those symptoms - the cringing eyes, the pursed lips, hunched shoulders, and the distant stare - looking out of my mirror for almost a whole year.

Nonetheless, Algar mustered the resolve to carry on, his voice strengthening with each syllable. "Um... Why do you go so far to help people?" The boy hugged his knees close to himself, curling into an upright human ball. "I've learned long ago that it was better to rely on just myself."

Now, this little comment had me very excited; the boy was persnickety enough when it came to divulging his own personal information, and this was the closest thing I had to a confession. I really, really wanted to push, and my mouth unfortunately moved on its own, before I could strategize a decent coaxing. "What about that little incident with the bear?"

Algar's head jerked as if he had been slapped, and he hugged himself even tighter.

_Great job, numbnut. You blew the conversation just as it was getting interesting, and frightened your only friend into shutting himself away._

_Huh. "Friend."_

I accepted defeat, more or less in bitter disappointment, and figured that I might as well answer Algar's original inquiry. "I'm the Prince of Ravendall, which essentially means I was born with the duty to do what's best for my people, and all who step inside it. I'm supposed be the leader they can turn towards to in troubled times. I must support them with my leadership and abilities, especially if King Trigve is not around to do his job." I watched the trees as they engaged in their majestic, slow-tempo waltz. "Cleaning up after ghosts is just an extension of responsibilities, in my opinion."

The boy said nothing, but looked at me incredulously for my almost-casual tone.

"I mean, that doesn't mean that it wasn't dangerous, or that it wasn't absolutely exhausting!" I blurted. "I was subjected to some horrid stuff while helping spirits get back on their feet! I'm surprised I was not reduced to quivering wreck by now!

"Although... in hindsight, this job wasn't much more different from actual royal duties. It's just that I was so lousy at politics anyway, protecting Ravendall from the Lost Wood's shadows became what I perform best, what I could do to stand out from the rest of the royalty.

"Ah, I'm rambling. I'm starting to stray too far from the topic, aren't I?" I didn't check Algar to see if he nodded his head in agreement or not, because this question was more or less directed to myself.

"But the true reason is... um..." I snorted derisively. _Look at me, trying to delay the inevitable._ "Hm... I guess the true reason for why I would help my people, besides being Prince and all, is because they are just like me, even my brother."

I paused to sift more words from my conscience, hoping they would clarify my answer. "Do you know they call me 'Adam the Adventurer,' these days, Algar?"

The boy shook his head slowly, but I swore that I heard a titter. Kids.

"Yeah, I think the name's a tad ridiculous myself. It is also incredibly misleading, because the name implies I'm remembered for the journeys I've undertaken." I shook my head in slight disbelief. "Everyone seems forget that life in general is a journey. These guys, they all have their own hopes, their dreams, their own lives. They are living their own adventure, and I would be damned to deny them the pleasure of being alive and safe, even if that means I have to lump more hardships and pain on myself."

It was an incredible relief, as if a massive weight that I never noticed before was suddenly lifted from my chest. I was absolutely giddy from finally confessing my troubles out loud, and to a peer no less!

I stared at the tree canopy in wonder, the entire world seemingly painted in vibrant colors that I never noticed before, starting with the leaves of the forest. Owning up to myself was akin to lifting a heavy veil from my eyes, permitting me to see a potentially beautiful future. The sun didn't sting my eyes anymore, and I welcomed it as it slipped through the leaves and branches. Matching my revelation, the sun's light changed color, becoming radiant shades of pale gold. There was a reason why philosophers would wax poetic about the sun, this great monarch of the sky; it was an absolutely stunning work of nature.

The rays of light pierced the forest floor like tangible pillars, blocking sight of the scenery behind them. A shaft of light shining at my eyes seemed to swell, swallowing its surroundings with the hunger of an open flame. The light expanded further, spilling down the ridges of branches and bark, pooling into the forest floor and grass around me, painting my entire world in sparkling gold.

"Algar! I shouted to my side, my voice growing strangely hollow and modulated. "What's going on?"

Algar wasn't anywhere nearby. I was the only one to be swallowed into the sun.

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><p><strong>Page 94: <strong>Even as I squeezed my eyes shut, the golden radiance still burned through my eyelids. I groaned tiredly, turning my head side to side in the hopes that the light will stop shining. When it didn't, I waved a hand above me briskly to block the sun out; I wasn't going to have something as silly as daylight ruin my perfectly good nap.

The back of my hand slapped against something warm and soft, eliciting a stranger's grunt of pain. The light faded away almost immediately.

Wait, what?

I struggled to lift myself up so I could investigate, only to feel a gentle weight push me back against the soft mattress. Curiously, I lowered my hand on my chest, and was surprised to feel heavy cloth reminiscent of the blankets in my bedroom. I blinked my eyes rapidly, coaxing them into opening wider, seeing flashes of a familiar ceiling as a result. An additional second's worth of examination proved that I was indeed lying on my bed, in the security of my room, within my palace home.

"Are you enjoying your respite?"

Ah, that unfamiliar voice again. It was definitely baritone and masculine, that's for sure. But, more importantly, what on Earth was he talking about? What did he mean about respite? Why was I here? I fought to sift through my head, trying to recall the last time that I was fully conscious.

A spectral image of a thick and wicked spear, its blade point glinting red and muted as it impaled and drilled through my gut, was brought forth from my mind. Instinctively, my breath shortened in fright, until I was almost light-headed. I convulsed like a dying fish, and curled my legs and arms toward myself, a futile attempt to cover my stomach.

A leathered and sturdy-looking hand rested itself on my chest out of nowhere. "At ease, young man. I've made sure the shadowed fiend will not be able to harm anyone for a while."

My breathing slowed down to a steady pace at those words, and I peeked at the man who spoke them. Much to my surprise, he did not look like he had any business within the kingdom.

Judging by his appearance alone, he seemed to have come from nowhere near Ravendall territory. His eyes crinkled at opposite ends, giving him an older face that was accustomed to laughing and smiling. His skin was bronzed and worn-looking, as if he spent years aging underneath the sun, but his straight posture and fluid hand-movements breathed of strength and energy. He dressed himself in thick, pelt clothing, with pale tufts of fur for trimmings. Adorning his head was a pointed hat, also sewn in fur. A hand-stitched sash, striped boldly in bands of red and yellow, wrapped around the man's waist, and his pants were dyed in a stark shade of blue.

His choice of footwear was the most intriguing aspect of his outfit; the stranger wore deer-skin shoes with toes that curled upwards, a sure-fire indicator of his race.

Frankly, I don't know too well of the Sámi. They were the indigenous people of Norway, natives who lived and thrived generations before the first arrival of Norse settlers. The tribe's presence was next to non-existent within the stretch of land that eventually became Ravendall; rumor has it that the Sámi refused to live anywhere close to the Lost Woods, for obvious reasons.

The fact that a man of their ethnicity was standing right in my room, at the heart of Ravendall, _and_ in the middle of a spiritual plague no less, meant that there was an incredible driving force for him to be here.

"Excuse me," I said, my tongue feeling strangely thick. I tried to sound as polite as my slurred voice would permit. "Who are you?"

The man's broad mouth broke into a gentle smile. "I'm just an old man who happened to pass by." he answered. "It appeared that the people of this town needed some help."

"That's a bit of an understatement there, sir." I altered my position underneath my bed covers, reaching to scratch my head.

The elder held out another hand to stop me from moving further. "I wouldn't do that, if I were you." he warned. "The healing hasn't fully settled in yet, and I trust that you do not wish for a backlash."

Healing? Backlash?

The healer reached into his fur jacket, and pulled from within a simple string necklace, decorated with a single, large yellow crystal. The rock glowed by its own luminescence, a miniature star hanging from his neck.

My breath was taken away in recognition of the shining gem, and I stared at his necklace in awe. "Is that... is that what I believe it is?"

"Yes. This crystal is a keepsake from the trolls, proof of my credentials in their skills. I have been using their brand of magic to mend your mind."

Out of a morbid sense of curiosity, I tried recalling the memory of a leper living his daily routine.

I could still see the dark and lonely alley where he would hide to sleep, away from the curious eyes of pedestrians and law enforcers. I could still remember what made him an outcast; a grotesque scar occupying the sick man's left side, sores that opened deeper than the human body should be permitted to reveal to the open air, and bulbous boils of various sizes, some as large as full-grown grapes, that oozed a clear, runny fluid copiously.

These memories of different lives like this leper didn't disappear. Yet, all I could only feel was immense relief, even as these images repeatedly played themselves over. It didn't take me long to understand why: This time, I was now fully aware of myself.

Before the Sámi healer tinkered with my brain, I relived those terrible, maddening flashbacks as if they were my own. I hurt, I ached, I felt terror as they tore my breath away from me.

Now, inside the recollections that never belonged to me, I was no longer the main character, but a mere spectator to the event, an audience of a vivid, moving tapestry.

That didn't mean I should fully ignore these tragic lives now, pretending they never existed. To ignore the pain and suffering of a fellow person, human or not, may as well be an act of outright sociopathy. If I were to dismiss the fates of these men and women as if they were imaginary, my act would be a complete contradiction against everything I believed in, and everything I had been fighting for. I would be a hypocrite of the tallest order, and deserved to be punished accordingly in the darkest corners of The Lost Woods.

The better option was to learn from these experiences, to empathize with the victims. By understanding just how these events could create so much sadness, I can develop myself for the better, and prevent the next tragedy from ever occurring.

"I suppose the treatment worked well to your liking?" the elder asked tentatively, his hands clasped together out of anxiety. His thick brows hung low, as if he was experiencing disappointment within himself. "I'm not an expert," the man admitted, "but I hope I was able to take the edge off the trauma. If the procedure has gone through well, you should be relieved from your torment."

I... I felt incredible. My recovering body was sluggish as it can be, but my mind never felt so vibrant before, so free of its burdens. I gave it my all to smile at this miracle worker appreciatively. "You have given me more than I could ever wish for! You have my everlasting gratitude, kind man of the Sámi."

"I am but a wandering Noaidi."

"Even better!" I could have hugged and tossed him into the air out of joy, but my backside remained stubbornly glued to the bed. I had to make do by turning my head fully.

My elation vanished completely at the full view of my room, as if a candle flame inside me went out from a single puff of wind.

Through the threshold of my door, the grey, cursed mist crawled in snakelike tendrils, licking and lashing in empty air, clearly trying to invade and smother my entire bedroom in miasma. A sensation of impending despair replaced every last ounce of bliss I had only felt seconds before, my hopes crushed to leave behind a chilling emptiness.

The Spøkelse was still haunting Ravendall, wreaking havoc with its presence.

A sudden burst of strength overwhelmed me, demanding that I take action. I tore my bed sheets aside, and scrambled desperately out of bed, falling to my knees clumsily on the ground. The bedroom carpet scratched at my face as I pulled myself forward with trembling hands.

The older man ran over and knelt in front of me, understandably panicked in his tone. "Don't overexert yourself! You still have yet to recover both mental-"

"Please!" I grasped the man by his legs frantically. "You are a holy man! Save them! Help rescue my people!"

The shaman's eyes hardened, and he looked down on me with abject pity.

"Well?!"

"I'm sorry, Adam."

I stared at him in complete shock. He was supposed to be a hero, a champion over darkness, a worker of miracles!

"If you had just asked me sixty years ago, then I may be of use to you-"

"-Wait, just how old are you?"

"-But I'm far too feeble for such an adventure now. My days as a hunter have long past." The man's broad mouth stretched at the corners apologetically. "From what I hear, you have been doing an astounding job as a slayer within these woods. You certainly had a better track record with demons than mine!"

"What... what do you mean?"

"Combating hundreds monsters and spirits, without any training whatsoever? You are quite the walking phenomenon. As a matter of fact, you have been the talk of the magical community for over a year: People speak legends of you, Adam the Adventurer; fearless and bold, defending his home from the shadows that threatens the peace and sanctity of the world." The Noaidi chuckled fondly, and remarked, "You didn't even have to trap your targets in Helheim beforehand, instead choosing to face the monsters head-on!"

Helheim, the realm where all beings, sentient or otherwise, go to after death in the physical world. An alien plane of existence that serves as a checkpoint for souls that have accepted their fates, but are not quite ready for what lied Beyond.

A common tactic for holy men and slayers performing an exorcism was to trap spirits and malevolent fiends in Helheim, bypassing their defenses, before engaging in fights that would have shook the entire world. It didn't matter if participants were intangible, invisible, or invulnerable; in what was renowned as the Gateway for the Dead, the scales and odds between slayer and monster are balanced; both are stripped of their natural talents and attributes down to the soul; only the skills and the will to fight remain to stave off defeat by Subjugation. The only people daring and foolhardy enough to engage in such a risky method were humans, who had the least to lose for entering Helheim.

Can you imagine that? Humans, the physically weakest and least imposing sentient creature on Earth, with no natural weapons like claws or thick armor, and comparatively mediocre talents such as a questionable level of intelligence and pluck, benefited the most from being closest to Death's door, literally. Such irony can only be supported in Helheim, since the rules of the reality do not apply in the spirit.

I grinned sheepishly at the shaman. "To be honest, I never knew how to lure monsters into Hel. Everything that I have done, I've had help."

The old Noaidi laughed cheerfully. "Well, of course you've had help! Every man and woman who dedicate their lives to fighting evil had help to become legendary. It's how we survive our conflicts, how we endure our horrors and trauma.

"You may have not the traditional skills of a slayer or a hero, but I've seen into your heart for what you are." His merriment died down, but the elder continued to regard me with warm, twinkling eyes. "That was a beautiful memory, the one with that young friend of yours." He stood up straight, before bending his back forward into a low bow of respect at me. "I care little for the Crown, but you are a good man who deserves my attention."

A slow minute passed by in silence.

"So..." I asked dejectedly. "You really can't do anything about the Spøkelse?"

The healer brightened, losing years of age from his face, and raised a finger upwards. "Ah, I've apologized for refusing to defeat the Spøkelse, but I never said there was nothing I can do for your subjects."

A fire in my chest, originally reduced to charred cinders by misery, surged back into life with such a fierce rush of optimism, I began entertaining the irrational belief that the world wasn't unjust after all. This man truly seemed too good to be true. "Reall-"

"But I must warn you." The Noaidi interrupted, his voice becoming alarmingly chill. "You will forever live in exile from your home, never to return, unless you risk the spirit's wrath back on your people."

_Of course._

My home. Ravendall. It wasn't just this bedroom that I have rested in for all seventeen years of my life, or even the old castle which had been the boundaries of my childhood. It wasn't just the bustling town full of smells and sights, the flowing rivers with their orchestra of trickles and splashes, or the enigmatic forests filled excitement and danger behind every turn.

_"Prince Adam- Oh, I mean, Your Highness! What new story do you have to tell?"  
><em>

_"Have a seat, Prince Adam! You look like you're ready to dig your own grave!"_

_"Y-you were talking to me? N-no one has ever done this before..."_

_"When will tell us the bit where the serpent nearly took your foot?"_

_"If you're so strong, Adam sir, why don't you try tossing me up to that rooftop over there? I won't tell my mom!"_

_"Your Highness? This... I-it's beautiful, but I can't accept this..."_

_"Adam, I... Good night, brother."_

Home was also my people, the citizens of Ravendall. Regardless of what I've said before to that boy Algar all those months ago, I was at my happiest when I am simply hanging around with the townsfolk. I enjoyed drinking with the workers, singing songs and dancing with the kids. I loved gathering everyone around who would be interested in listening to my not-so-tall tales, until I attracted a crowd that stayed for hours. How their eyes brightened with either happiness or amusement whenever I showed up, they way they showed their full appreciation of my company…

I've never been anywhere beyond Ravendall! What am I supposed to call home now? Why must my journey continue by leaving my birthplace behind?

_Something in the distance fell with a dull thud. A piercing scream resonated through the haunted streets of Ravendall. _

_Another soft thud, and a fresh wave of screams._

No... I swore myself to protect Ravendall from the horrors beyond the human world. Bringing my fight with the Spøkelse to the innocent civilians was my wrongdoing, and I'm not going to abandon them just because I'm already feeling homesick. If I have to be forever exiled from the home I've known for all of my life, then so be it.

I sucked in a long breath, knowing just how tumultuous this decision will turn out. Bizarrely enough, I suddenly thought about the one guy who would have shot my choice down, with a full artillery if he could manage. "Does... does Trigve know?"

The Noaidi hardly seemed surprised by the question. "The King? We eventually came to an agreement, but not without a fight. He was quite adamant about you staying here, you know."

_That... actually sounds very much like Trigve._

"Nonetheless, he finally concurred that leaving is for the best." The shaman pulled his sleeve back to reveal a muscled arm, and some sort of eccentric metal piece wrapped around his thick wrist. Clashing rather blatantly against his natural clothing, the gadget was evocative of the watches I've seen Southern nobles wear around their necks, except miniaturized. "There is still time before the break of dawn," remarked the Noaidi. "You can have a last chat with your brother, before we must say our farewells."

I reacted violently, choking and sputtering for what it was worth. "W-wait, talk? Look sir, I-I am grateful for everything you have done, but are you sure that's a good idea-"

"-I'll give you two some privacy." Before I could protest any further on how this conversation will be doomed from the very start, the Noaidi turned the handle with an audible click, and creaked the door wide open. "I've finished my care for the Prince." he called out. "You two are free to talk now."

My elder brother, King Trigve of Ravendall, stepped inside my room.

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><p><strong>I do have a one, really important question to ask, so I won't get myself into some trouble: Does this story still fit in a K+ rating? I know there's a bit of violence in here, and I've been becoming paranoid about stepping over some lines. I really don't want to have this changed into a T rating though. Thank you in advance for your advice.<strong>

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen_.**


	11. Ch 11: Life's Too Short

**Well, the _Royal Reunion_ happened today. ****Way to make me feel inadequate, robert3A-SN.**

**All rights go to Disney, and credit goes to FrozenRose1 for editing this thing.**

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><p><em><strong>"What fairy tales give the child is his first clear idea of the possible defeat of bogey.<strong>_

_**The baby has known the dragon intimately ever since he had an imagination. What the fairy tale provides for him is a St. George to kill the dragon."**_

—**G. K. Chesterton**

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><p><span>Chapter 11<span>

Life's Too Short

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><p><strong>Page 99: <strong>King Trigve of Ravendall stepped into my room.

Ever since our falling out around a year ago, I resolved never to look Trigve directly in the eye. I figured that, since neither of us could stand each other's company anyway, it was best that we stayed out of each other's lives. Much less frustration and protest for both parties involved.

In hindsight, that decision was a bit of an overreaction, a silent tantrum to run my point through, but I stuck to my guns stubbornly. Because of my weekly excursions into the Lost Woods, and because we lived inside a vast castle riddled with multiple routes and alternate pathways, avoiding him became a surprisingly easy task.

I was ashamed to say that I eventually failed to remember what my brother looked like. To cope, I considered that knowing him for the sixteen out of seventeen years of my life had to account for at least a basic portrait; a narrow face, blue eyes, longer charcoal hair, thin lips, and a smattering of freckles that somehow avoided his long nose. However, this mental portrait is far from perfect, and the comments dropped regularly by a few people only added to the confusion. A few of the middle-aged citizens of Ravendall would sometimes mistake me for the King, blaming our striking resemblance when I correct them. Some of the servants within the castle misidentify one for the other, before being subjected to a brief lecture on how we clearly don't have much in common. Even Mother, before passing away, used to remark that Trigve and I looked absurdly alike, much to our rarely mutual horror.

I never understood before exactly how these people made the connections between us, especially as we became adults. Our years growing up together only accentuated our differences; despite being several years my senior, Trigve stood a fair distance below my eye-level (another quality that aided me in ignoring his existence), and his naturally heavy brows bestowed him a perpetual glower, in contrast to my capability to actually smile. He kept his hair long and slicked back, which I always believed was too much work; I just cut mine short so I don't have to spend as much time maintaining my appearance. Trigve can grow a full, thick beard, while I could just barely produce a few whiskers, too frail and too wispy to keep. And, while he at least shared a similar body shape to mine, his inherent distaste for outdoor play made him stockier and heavyset.

At least, that was how I remembered him.

Now, I hardly recognized the only family I had left.

These descriptions no longer applied to my brother anymore. At some point in the past year, Trigve had undergone a complete transformation for the worse. For one, being King took care of his excess weight. He was thin now, the kind of boney thin that made one wish he fed himself more often. Furthermore, his freckles were nearly blended with his skin, no doubt due to a lack of time outside in daylight. His previously well-combed hair was disheveled, and riddled with silver, dried-looking strands, adding several years prematurely to his face. Most drastically of all, he completely shaved away his beard, revealing a sharp jaw line that I had long since overlooked in my mental portrayal.

At that very moment, I realized just how a few people could have confused the two of us; we shared our mother's eyes, our mother's facial structure. We were her sons, and the years changed nothing about that.

My older brother, estranged for more than I could ever remember, was now standing inside my bedroom, and I had nothing to say to him. I really, really dreaded the day this situation would come knocking on my door, and here he was. Desperately, I craned my neck for a sight of the Noaidi, but the crafty old man had already slipped away into the halls, abandoning me to my fate.

Trigve and I stared at each other in silence. I shivered from the intense cold, but was otherwise immobile. Trigve's behavior was hardly any different; the King seemed absolutely paralyzed. While his back and face was straight and rigid, they were all part of a breaking facade to hide how uncomfortable Trigve was within such close proximity to me. His body quivered and jolted minutely, as if he wanted to move, but found his feet rooted to the floor. His knees buckled in place, most likely because not enough blood was flowing through them. I could tell he was itching to say something, just by the way the muscles in his jaw popped and shifted, but his lips were glued together. The King's attempts to compose himself only made him all the more painfully obvious.

"You look different." I remarked, before the silence could become unbearable.

Evidently, Trigve hadn't expected me to be the first to speak, for his heavy eyebrows darted upwards in surprise. "Uh..." He coughed, still not quite capable of forming a proper sentence. "E-er..."

After what seemed like a minute of him stumbling mentally over and over, he finally mustered up the courage the speak out. His words came out cracked, hoarse, and almost too quiet to discern. His natural baritone only served to make his voice even less audible. "It's been a while, since we last talked..."

"Well, yeah." I seated myself upon the bed mattress, looking at him evenly.

The silence in the bedroom only grew heavier. I was surprised the sheer pressure between us haven't pushed the spectral mist out of the entire castle yet.

"H-he..." My brother shivered in place. "That old man, he told me. He told me what you guys were going to do."

"Yeah?"

"He said... he said the source of this plague has been haunting you. Above all else, it wants your head for revenge." Trigve cleared his throat. "That man... he believes you can lure it out of Ravendall, back into the forest. He wants to use you as bait."

"Ah." I rubbed the bridge of my nose tiredly. "Of course."

"Wh-what?"

"As long as I'm still alive, the Spøkelse will continue to chase me with all of the tenacity of a starving hound. The Noaidi intended to take advantage of that fact, by using my fresh and tasty, not-subjugated self to draw it away from the kingdom. It'll be like taunting a vicious and viciously hungry bear with a fragrant fruit basket, before baiting it into a death trap.

"Sure, such a tactic sounds suicidal," I continued, shrugging my shoulders in acknowledgement, "but there's a real logic behind it."

Trapping a demon is a tried-and-true method, based on the behavior of mundane animals; attract the target with something enticing, then lock it away once it's guard is fully lowered. It just so happened that Ravendall was convenient enough to have an available trap nearby. I jabbed a thumb out of the window, which still glowed brightly with silver moonlight, despite the flood of ghostly ash trying to blot it out.

"The Lost Woods is a veritable labyrinth of trees and ancient power. The Spøkelse may be quite the heavy hitter itself, a host to at least several hundred's worth of souls and their life experiences, but it is by no means omniscient." I crossed my legs and rubbed my chin in deep thought. "If the Noaidi and I can lose the demon deep within Ravendall's darkest and most inhospitable forest, it will be left scratching its head on how to escape. After all, the Spøkelse only managed to reach the kingdom by tracking me down."

I tried ignoring this strategy's indefinite effectiveness, which ranged wildly between infinitely imprisoned, to merely delaying the inevitable.

After all, there's a reason all those myths about releasing otherworldly abominations from their prisons exist.

_Besides,_ I thought to myself, for a _monster as powerful as this? Given both the Noaidi's age and my condition, I couldn't see any other choice._

"The old man knows what he's doing, then." I finished gruffly. "Is that the gist of what he explained to you?"

About thirty seconds passed, and I didn't hear any reply. "Trigve?" I requested, looking up.

The King of Ravendall stared at me slack-jawed, his heavy brows raised so high I'm fairly certain his forehead was straining from the effort to lift them. His agape mouth stretched his face where his thinning body weight didn't, rendering his skin taut and gaunt. He was looking less like the brother I remembered, and more like a pale corpse that was too dry to rot. If it weren't for his piercing blue eyes, I would have thought my brother had just died standing up.

"Trigve!" I snapped, alarmed.

The King's eyes blinked rapidly, and he clamped his mouth shut. "Y-y-you..." he stuttered, pointing a quaking finger at my direction. "I-I've never h-... In all of these years-" he swallowed, "I've never h-heard you say anything like this. You've changed..."

I snorted in a feeble attempt to be amused. "A lot of things tend to change when you don't pay attention for a year."

A twinge of regret plucked within me, a cold hook tugging at my heartstring; Trigve looked as if I had just walked straight up and slapped him. It was never in my intention to; in spite of everything that happened between us, all of the ignoring and the pain and isolation, I never thought that the one day we finally see each other face to face, we would be so... jilted. Awkward.

The man looked like he was about to collapse to his knees. Instead, he did something akin to a shuffle forward, until I was forced to tilt my head to look up at him from my seated position. "Please..." he said weakly, his eyes misty. "You don't have to go. I-I'm sure we could find some other solution, with a more skillful person. There has to be other experts besides that shaman! You... you don't have to be leave home forever."

His pleas worked little to hide his true message: _Don't go. You're my only family left._

I turned my head away from him, staring at nowhere in particular. "You're being awfully talkative and concerned about me." I forced myself to look at him. "I don't get it. Shouldn't you be leaping with joy of having me off your back? I've been nothing but constant source of pain and worry, because of all the troubles I keep lumping onto the Royal Family."

Trigve's right eye twitched once. "You only get yourself into such troubles because you always left from home, disobeying my orders, doing who knows what within those forests."

Something ugly crawled into my voice, as I felt myself shake with irritation. "Trigve, I've told you before, I don't have a choice with these matters!"

"Always the same excuse with you, isn't it?" A side of my brother's lips pulled back into a snarl, and his face reddened intensely as he grew angrier. He brushed a hand from one side to the other as he spoke in a mock tone, "'I have to go today!' 'You don't understand, there's an ambush waiting to happen!' 'I must pay a visit to my ghost companions!' '_I don't have a choice._'" Trigve spat acidly.

Dropping the act, he flicked his chin upwards dismissively. "You could have done some honest work in your life for once. I was kind enough to let your ramblings slide for around a month, let you run free to do what you wanted, if it meant coping in Mother's absence! But now, you are always enraptured in your own little world, never paying attention to the serious matters that could threaten Ravendall's prosperity!"

"That's what I have always been doing!" I shouted back. "This whole time, I have been making sure the dangers of the Lost Woods do not reach here!"

"I cannot deny that the forests are incredibly dangerous..." Trigve's voice hardened. "Which is why it is better that you stay within the kingdom, away from these dangerous expeditions once and for all. You are a Prince of Ravendall! It's about high time you acted like one!"

I groaned, and brought my hands up to my face in anguish.

"You're just... you..." The man shook in place, his voice pitched a touch higher as he began to sound almost juvenile. "Absolutely irresponsible! You! Spoiled for freedom, ignorant, enamored by delusions of your grandeur! Like... like your very earliest grand offense, not long after you returned from your first visit into the Lost Woods! How could you miss the ceremony!?"

"It was just the traditional blessings! I came soon enough..."

"No, what you did was completely unacceptable! By the time you came back, covered in mud and rambling something about a river giant, the sun had fallen, and I had already excused everyone from the church, after delaying them from their business for so long, just to wait for you!"

"Don't. Don't you dare bring this up to me..."

"Oh, but I will!" Trigve jeered. "I don't see why I shouldn't share my experiences with my dear little brother! Well, let me tell you this! The reception was beautiful! People from all over Norway came to pay their respects! Everyone, except you!" Trigve bent forward and ferociously jabbed me in the chest with a thinned finger. "The Queen would have been so disappointed..."

"Don't you dare speak of her!"

You were the Prince of Ravendall! On that day, you should have been inside the chapel, standing beside me! I hope you are proud, missing your own mother's funeral!"

"ENOUGH!" I blurted. "No, why should I listen to you? Why should I spare you any kindness, with that little outburst? You don't deserve my sympathy, my respect! You always tried to beat me down with your poor excuse of authority." It was my turn to poke him hard into the chest. He was pushed backwards a fair distance from my strength. "You're too narrow-minded to think outside of your oh-so precious castle. You came here to beg me into staying, but it turned into a weak guilt trip because of you constricted viewpoint!"

I never had any hopes that Trigve and I would ever reconcile. As I predicted, the brotherly reunion fell apart into chaos; at least I was spared from any disappointment. We both stopped yelling at each other, settling instead for a grudging silence. Trigve's blue eyes burned into mine with such contempt, I was sure that he would lose the last of the love between us, excuse himself from my bedroom, and storm away, marking the last time I would ever see him again.

_Ever see him again..._

Even as my blood boiled in rage, some rational part locked away in the corner of my brain, something that I thought had already withered and died from neglect spoke to me gently.

_What was it like, to have only one family member who you can no longer connect to?_

Trigve, my one and only brother, continued to glare at me, but his blue eyes betrayed him; what I said cut him deeply, as if I just ran him through with my Ulfberht.

This... this wasn't how this discussion was supposed to end. What am I doing, rejecting my brother at a moment like this? The golden opportunity to finally have him understand was presented to me on a platter, and I squandered it out of petty wrath.

_He brought this upon himself, you know, bringing the funeral up._

_No, he's just being a person. You know he hasn't forgiven you for what you've done._

_You certainly haven't._

_What do you expect me to do?_

I focused back Trigve's pale blue eyes. They fixed upon me with anger, and steely conviction.

I really, really didn't wish to give in to my brother. Truth be told, I wanted to continue my personal vendetta against him, until it finally dawns upon his thick skull just how much of a blockhead he was being, how much of a mule he had always been. Honestly, I wanted to leave Ravendall right this instant, to prove he doesn't have even a semblance of control over me, and that everything he knew about me was sorely mistaken. It was just something humans tend to do; everybody wants to be the right one, the one who wins the argument, even if it means refusing to compromise for years.

Of course, that sort of mindset is what turn debates into stalemates, disagreements into feuds, simple squabbles into full-out wars. My position was not anywhere near worth taking to my grave; it's just a scuffle between two resentful siblings, both at fault to a certain degree. I've had enough second thoughts in my life; if I could at least part from Ravendall with one less regret, I might as well own up to my share of egregious mistakes.

"I'm-" I ducked my head away from my scowling brother, my shoulders sagging in resignation."I'm... sorry. For everything that I have just said." I quietly admitted. "I was never able to perform the tasks expected of a Prince, and knew that you had to pick up the slack in my stead. I mean it when I say that I was being an immature brat for with a inherent disregard for his personal safety."

I looked up at him and spread my hands. "But none of this matters right now. We have a supernatural threat on our hands, and I need you to believe in the Noaidi, and have me exiled before any more people are killed."

The King's own furious stance was beginning to break down, but his voice turned cool and detached. "Groveling will only take you so far, and I still don't trust your endorsement of this shaman-"

"Noaidi." I corrected.

"He never presented his name, and it is rude of you to interrupt. As I have said before, instead of listening to this man, who just happened to burst right in the midst of this enchanted mist, you should stay here, and hold yourself accountable to what you have brought upon this kingdom." He sucked in a breath. "Do you know just how many people died from this plague, from what you have brought out of the forest?

"Fifty-four." I answered immediately.

"I knew you have no idea about the ramifications of your recklessness. That's fifty-four innocent people who perished... perished." Trigve's stormy voice trailed off. He blinked, widening his eyes as he processed this information. His lips peeled open, dropping into a full "O". "You... you were mad for almost a week. How did you know? How on Earth did you know?"

I truly owed the Noaidi something of incredible value, treasures far more valuable than my life could ever amount to. When the round of horrific flashbacks came, I no longer struggled to maintain my own conscience, my sense of self. I can still see the shadowed images. I can still hear the shouting the jeering, the yelling with all of the hateful venom dripping from angry words.

And yet, at the very middle of my focus, pushing all my other senses away, was the sight of my older brother, whose anger was replaced with confusion.

"The Spøkelse..." I muttered. "I tried killing him because he was dangerous. The ghosts in the Lost Woods may as well be my friends. I wasn't going to abandon them to a predator as powerful and hateful as that demon. Who knows know many people it had hurt before?"

The King's voice sounded unsettled by my information. "The shaman said as much, but I don't understand what he was talking about."

"Fifty-four souls have fallen since the Mist, because I was with them when it happened. Every day, there are more victims who succumb to its torture. The Spøkelse, it had been playing its hand at revenge against me. He taunts with them, dangling their souls on strings as I am forced to relive their worst experiences and failures." I did my best to at least try alleviate the tension. "It might as well be a wake-up service nowadays, however unnecessary it was."

"What... what was it like?" Trigve's eyes looked into my own, mirroring my pain.

I had to avert my eyes from him, and my voice hushed with grief. "It's like replaying regrets that never even belonged to me, over and over again. The memory could be something as simple as being rejected by someone you wished to share a life with, to full outright survivor's guilt for not stopping a murder. I get trapped in these worlds that were so vivid, nightmarish, and real, because they _were _real." I breathed a heavy sigh. "Just... not for me, and certainly no longer for them. It's a wonder I was even capable of knowing who I am anymore. The downtrodden's emotional baggage became my own... Heh, as if I didn't have enough regrets within me already."

Trigve truly looked upset now, no doubt because he hardly ever saw his baby brother in a condition as depressive as this. "You... You seemed so carefree. So sure of your life, always able to put up a smile no matter what happened. I even envied your lack of responsibility, because it at least meant you have more room to be happy, more time to have fun."

I laughed bitterly. "Are you kidding? I'm like what you always said: worthless. I hated myself for not saying goodbye to Mom one last time, before she was buried. She had done so much for me, and I couldn't even show up on time and share a proper last moment with her. It didn't matter if the giant was going to set his sights on Ravendall, I should have at least paid my respects." I looked up at my brother wistfully." I loathed myself for turning you away, when we should have been carrying ourselves onward, together. I don't blame you for hating me as well, because it is no less than what I deserve."

"Adam, I never realized-"

"And now, I messed up big time, on the one thing I thought I could do right! I couldn't do politics like you can! What was I trying to prove, that I was some sort of hero? I was just some kid with a sword , thinking that he could fix his problems by running around and playing knight. I was the one who let it run rampant, the one who lead it into the kingdom."

"Stop it, Adam! Please, don't talk to yourself like that..."

"I made it my job to protect Ravendall, and now I'm just a helpless boy. Fifty-four innocent people died, and I can't do a single thing about it..."

Trigve made a strangled noise, and my heart sank even lower.

Then, my brother did the one thing I thought he would never do. Even when we were younger, I wasn't even aware that it was something brothers could actually _do_. We were supposed to get into competitions, bash and tease each other with our strengths to prove one was the better brother. Emotions would be considered a weakness, so any gestures and tokens of affection were met with disgust. Tears. hugs and kisses were judged as crossing a line, stuff that only sisters should do.

At least, that was how I always believed brothers were supposed to behave.

Trigve slowly sat beside me, the additional weight creaking my bed audibly. Then, he wrapped his arms around me in a warm embrace.

My estranged brother, King Trigve of Ravendall, actually _hugged _me.

"T-Trigve?"

"Adam... I could never bring myself to hate you." Trigve murmured. "You can be such a pain at times, but you are my brother. Siblings should never hate each other." He squeezed even tighter, making it harder for me to breathe. "All this time, I thought you were just ignoring your responsibilities, when your were involved in something so incredible. You have been trying to do good for our people, protecting them with your life..."

"I-is that really news?"

I've never truly believed you, but... this plague has made me see things differently. That shaman- no, Noaidi, he proved that you were right about the Lost Woods all along. You were right about everything.

"Adam... I'm sorry I wasn't out there for you when you needed me most. I'm such a lousy excuse of a brother, for making you think so lowly of yourself." His voice started to quaver, making it difficult to hear him. "Even if I could, I have no right to hate you."

Something welled up within me, threatening to escape and cause me to shatter into pieces. It took all of my willpower just to choke back a sob. "Y-You know about the times you told me to stay home?" I sniffled. "I always knew that you wished to keep me alive, even as I ignored your orders to stay put week after week. But hearing you say that you truly care is... overwhelming."

Trigve was rendered still by my comment, but not for long; the King began shivering, and I swore I felt something warm and wet spreading upon my shoulder.

I was on the verge of breaking into tears myself, so I didn't try to rib him for beating me to the punch.

"Brother..." I mumbled. "I'm scared. I don't know anywhere else besides Ravendall."

"You'll do fine, Adam." Trigve let out a shaky chuckle. "You have always been a blessed man. I have no doubt you will flourish."

Eventually, he released me from his hug, and we just sat quietly on the bed, patiently.

Trigve and I didn't have much to talk about; we were just too different and distant to hold an entire conversation. The only thing that made sense to us now was to watch the bedroom window together, and wait as the hours ticked by.

* * *

><p><strong>Page 103: <strong>In the dark, haunted mist that smothered the entire town, not a single citizen was aware of several silhouettes stealing away in the middle of the night. Normally, two of the people behind the fogged shadows would have caused an uproar with their mere presence, being the Royal Brothers after all, but we decided not to attract any attention just yet.

I sighed to myself in faint disappointment. In a perfect world, perhaps in a storybook, the Prince and the King, two brothers finally reconciled after a year of grudges and hardships, would announce the shocking news throughout the streets of Ravendall, until everyone in town gathered around to see such a miracle. In a perfect world, the entire town would wave at me and the Noaidi, shouting their tearful farewells and good-lucks as I enter the Lost Woods for the last time, against the light of the rising sun.

I tilted my head in a double-take. I'm being too much the romantic to fantasize something as absurd as _that_ premise, in the midst of an ominous plague no less.

_Of course this isn't a perfect world, you dope._

_The Spøkelse could have been watching._

Appelsin snorted gently, rolling his soft, dark eyes at me. Evidently, the same thought crossed his mind, albeit with much less appeal. I smiled sheepishly at the stallion, shivering from the intense cold, and patted him on the neck. He truly is a good friend, this noble horse of mine. Immediately understanding the gravity of the situation by the moment I took him out of the stables, Appelsin did his best to behave as silently as horses could manage. Even his iron horseshoes barely clicked against the cobblestone pavement of Ravendall's winding roads tonight.

It wasn't long before the stowaway group finally reached the end of town. Craning my neck upwards, I gulped nervously, and shuddered from seeing the extent of the Spøkelse's power; even in the thick air, the demon's display of power was an awesome sight. A dense, raging wall of ash and smog bordered the last establishments of the town, stretching endlessly around until the poor visibility could show no more. The grey miasma towered for kilometers above, so not even the highest flying birds could surpass it. The smoke boiled and tumbled within itself, violent thunderclouds that were displaced from the heavens to continue their fury on Earth.

I swallowed hard. Once I walk through this wall, my journey will become a one-way trip to the unknown. I will no longer have a home to return to.

"That should be about everything," my brother muttered, checking the sacks hanging off of Appelsin. "Two day's worth of provisions for each of you, some traveling cloaks for warmth, and, for you Master Noaidi, a fresh sleeping bag to replace your ragged blankets."

The Noaidi bowed respectfully in acknowledgment.

The King nodded his head, but pursed his lips curiously at the shaman. "Are you sure that you don't need a horse yourself?"

The old man looked down at his pointed fur boots, and chuckled lightly. "Oh, no. I can just barely handle riding on a reindeer. I prefer to travel by foot."

I nudged my brother lightly with my elbow. "Trigve. You're behaving all fussy again."

"Hush, you." He punched me back lightly in the arm, a gesture that he hasn't done ever since he became King. "Let me enjoy this moment."

Now that we have finally settled our issues and matters down with each other once and for all, I found it much more relaxing to be around Trigve. Happy that I was finally able to show affection to my big brother, I gave him a warm, genuine smile.

It quickly faltered, however, at the scene behind him. Fog or no fog, the Kingdom of Ravendall seemed so... desolate. The Spøkelse had sapped the joy of living from the very air itself. Not a single soul hung around on the streets, not even a drunkard sleeping the booze away. There was no sound of nature, no singing of birds, no whistling of a summer breeze through a crevice. Besides us three men and Appelsin, there was only a heavy, suffocating silence.

I'm... I'm not too sure if I could bear seeing Ravendall without the swirling ash clouds enveloping the kingdom. I don't know if I could handle seeing a dilapidated shadow of the beautiful and vibrant kingdom it once was, after a week of monstrous ravaging and lives torn apart by grief and despair.

Especially the victims...

"Trigve... Abou- About the people who..." I couldn't bring myself finish the sentence.

The King placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, like a brother should always do. "I already arranged a memorial and funeral service for them, fit for a King. Their deaths will not amount to nothing."

"Y-you did?" Never before had I felt so much gratitude to Trigve. Too full of emotion, I embraced him tightly, and lifted him off of his feet with a slight grunt of effort. "Thank you so much... for everything."

"It's the least I can do for the people we care about, Adam." He pushed himself free from my grasped, and frowned slightly in thought. "I don't believe it. We are actually talking to each other, like an actual family. Even in the older times, when we were younger and happier, we would always go at each other's throats."

"You still look pretty young to me."

Trigve chortled. "And the baby fat has not melted off of your cheeks."

"I wish I could say the same about you."

The Noaidi cleared his throat loudly to catch our attention, and he looked solemnly at my brother. "The sun will be rising soon. This is where you must stay." he stated apologetically.

A lump of ice, colder than the ghastly chill infecting Ravendall, slid down my throat painfully, throbbing with fear and dread. I was terrified of the future. Beyond these clouds lies a world that used to be so familiar, but now seems completely alien in light of the situation. Once I leave Ravendall, I can never go back home. I will never see my kingdom again. I will never the one family I have left either.

Once I walk out of Ravendall with the Noaidi, I will be left on my own.

I turned to my older brother and, despite being much taller than him, felt like a young, scared child again. My throat felt incredibly parched and scratched as I forced my voice out. "I-I guess... I guess th-this is goodbye, then?"

Trigve regarded me sadly. "I'm afraid so."

Before I knew what had happened, he darted forward to squeeze me in a tight hug. I could feel him trying to lift me upwards, mirroring me, but I was too heavy for him. That didn't stop me from feeling touched by his efforts.

"Can you imagine our luck?" Trigve hiccuped. "The one day we could finally treat each other like brothers... -no, like actual and proper siblings, it has to be when I exile my whole family from the one life he has ever known..." He released me, his eyes brimming with tears that never suits anyone's face, much less the King's. "Life can be such a big joke at times, with the punch line being more of a punch in the gut."

Even while trying not to weep, I allowed myself to twist my face into a sour cringe. "Jeez Trigve, was that supposed to be a quip?"

"A wha- no, nevermind..." The King shook his head out of bewilderment, and resumed to gazing warmly at me. "Adam, I'm proud to have you as my little brother."

I blinked at him, completely nonplussed by his declaration. Never in my life had I hoped to hear such words from anyone with such sincerity, much less from the King of Ravendall. I thought myself too stupid, too juvenile to warrant such praise. "You're... you're proud of me?"

The King nodded. "Mother would have supported this statement as well."

Trigve was proud of me. My older brother... was _proud_ of me.

I first felt my shoulders shake, in no relation to the cold. The edges of my mouth pulled themselves downwards, and I squeezed my eyes shut to stop the flow of tears. It was getting harder to exhale, so I began gagging instead. I covered my face with a hand, desperate to hide the fact that the chokes graduated into full-blown sobs.

It was... I just... Look, I cried. I was a seventeen-year-old Prince that bawled with all of the restraint of a child. It was overwhelming, unpleasant, and just a touch embarrassing.

Trigve, as a proper brother should, made no attempt to rib me for breaking down. Instead, as a proper brother should, he thumped my back gently and repeatedly, muttering, "I'll find a method to keep us in contact, if you don't find one first."

"C-contact." I sniffled. I never would have guessed crying left me more optimistic for the future."Of course..."

I turned my head to the Noaidi, who was checking the strange metal time-piece fixed to his wrist. "I'm ready."

As the old shaman lead my by the hand into the dense, towering walls of spectral smoke, I snapped my view behind me, a frantic effort to see my older brother for one last time.

The image of King Trigve waving farewell was quickly lost to the swirling and overpowering mist.

The memory, however, burned in my mind for much longer.

* * *

><p><strong>Page 107:<strong> The creature, a serpent with eyes that blazed with an unnatural fire, lunged with the force of a powerful spring, opening its maw wide to bite me with dagger-length fangs that dripped fluorescent venom. The monster was enormous, large enough to swallow hounds whole with room to spare, and its glittering scales only accentuated the powerful, rippling sinews of the snake's muscles.

Wordlessly, I flicked the Ulfberht as it flung itself towards my neck. The enchanted steel shone with extraordinary brilliance, and the giant snake was rendered into two streaming ribbons. As its remains wriggled, it conflagrated into nothingness.

Beside me, the Noaidi tapped on a skin drum rhythmically while riding Appelsin, both looking rather placid in light of the current situation.

A hideous, grinning goblin, patches of its pallid skin coated in a glistening mixture of pungent sweat and saliva, charged while flailing a crudely spiked morning star. I widened my legs in a stance, and swung the sword over my head. The monster was bisected downwards, from its crown to its pelvis, before squirming in agony as it combusted into ash.

"Can you perform the ritual any faster?" I complained, wheezing for breath. It has been more than half an hour since we entered the Lost Woods, and several beasties decided to hold a hostile welcoming party throughout the entire trek. A week as a stumbling shut-in has not diminished my fighting skill too badly, but my stamina was hit hard. If the Noaidi could not finish his drumming soon enough, I would no longer be of use to anyone.

Another monster, a being made entirely out of shadows that dripped messily on the dead leaves and soil, darted its appendages in a black blur, intending to wring the older shaman by the neck. Without losing a single beat of the drum, the Noaidi brought two fingers to his forehead, bringing forth something blue and luminous between them. He swept his hand outwards, flicking a gout of light at the assailant. A chunk of where the shadow creature's head should be vanished upon contact, and it dissolved into a heap indistinguishable from the darkness of the trees.

"If who you describe is truly a Landvættir, then keep in mind I'm working as hard as I can. Spirits of his kind are very reclusive, you know." The Noaidi nonchalantly kicked away a screaming, dual-wielding imp attempting to hack at his shins. It sailed into the distance, dropping its primitive daggers to the floor.

"I sure hope so!" I shouted back exhaustedly. The gleaming eyes that stormed the Lost Woods seemed to multiply, lighting up the forest with their own lurid heat. I was beginning to tire, and these things just keep. On. Coming.

I grimaced in regret; the Noaidi knew that there were... quite a few entities that wanted my head on a platter, although I have no doubt he never expected this many to join the hunt. Really, the whole situation was mostly my fault; my deal with Guðmundur had guaranteed me protection against malevolent creatures and spirits in exchange for my services. It came in handy several times, as more and more monsters start developing grudges against me for debasing their territories, cutting down their blood kin, or something along those lines. They somehow learned or detected that my agreement had been relinquished, along with my immunity, and took the opportunity to attack my team with the tenacity of frenzied wolves.

A figure stepped forward, flinging aside a vaguely spider-shaped demon. The pathetic thing was tossed with enough force to splat sickeningly against a tree trunk.

Recognizing the putrid and eye-watering stench of the monster, I apprehensively turned my head upwards to see the figure's face in the eye. The monster was an enormous Land Draugr, an undead being that was once a giant of a man, standing well over two meters in height. Infested with white and fat, wriggling maggots, what little hair the Draugr had left hung like loose threads, which only brought its hideousness in sharper relief. Its rancid, rotted flesh revealed things within that were indescribably grotesque, all except for its chest cavity; the only object inside the exposed ribcage was an orb of dull light, pulsating at the regular tempo of a heart.

The Draugr brought a thick and grayed hand behind it, withdrawing an enormous and rusty cleaver stained with a suspiciously brown and dried fluid. The creature's disarrayed teeth split into a grin nearly as wide as its grayed cheeks, and hollow eye sockets leered at me with grey lights of their own. As it brandished the massive blade, the monster gurgled a long and slow chuckle, a hollow and rasping sound that could have only come from the deepest recesses of Helheim.

I snarled a wordless challenge at it in return, willing forth sparkling white flames that danced on the Ulfberht's edges. The brilliance flooded the battlefield, throwing the demons hidden within the forest scenery in stark relief. Many of them recoiled, hissing in astonishment and fear.

The Draugr, blinded by the light, covered its face in surprise without realizing that I was already going in for the kill. With a grunt of effort, I swung the blade upwards, splitting the monster's cleaver arm from its shoulder. Both the mottled limb and the weapon thumped heavily as they landed.

In response, the creature roared, and uppercut me in the stomach with its remaining fist. The blow nearly lifted me straight up from the ground, and I had to plant the sword into the dirt as a support, to prevent myself from collapsing. The pain throbbed sourly, and my body lurched, coughing up spit in an attempt to bring air back into my lungs. My mind barely pieced itself back together to assume ducking position, as the Draugr swung it's single arm to sock me once more.

I was just about to formulate a counterattack, until the entire forest shuddered and quaked with a rumble that could have split eardrums. Accompanied the sound of cannon fire, thick tendrils sprung from the ground, flinging dirt and rocks that pelted and stung everything and everyone upwards. Appelsin whinnied in panic, as the roots of trees tore the ground apart, and wrapped themselves around both him and Noaidi.

More thick tendrils coiled themselves from around and below with lightening speed, immobilizing me. I twisted my neck around to see that every single walking creature was now entangled in tough roots.

One of the trees closest to my team's position began moving without a breeze to carry it, flexing its arms in a solitary dance. Its leaves rattled and shuddered, and the wood began twisting in place. I watched in fascination as the trunk of the tree groaned and developed spirals, folding continuously over itself before finally peeling from the bark. A rudimentary, man-shaped silhouette managed to wrench itself free, crackling and snapping as it motioned ponderously. Two spindly arms extended from its main body, and the entity flexed an equally spidery hand to where its head should be. With a heavy yank, the spirit snapped a chunk of arbor off, which morphed into a recognizable head that reattached quickly. The being craned its neck from side to side, and snorted in satisfaction. Then, it lightly brushed its bare, knotted chin, which sprouted stringy green growth from contact, forming an imitation of a wispy beard.

I recognized his face immediately; two weeks is not nearly enough for me forget. "Treeshield!"

The guardian spirit creaked his head towards me, his narrowed green eyes further wrinkling his bark skin. "Causing trouble as usual, I see?" The roots wrapping around my body squeezed tighter.

The Noaidi wriggled his mouth free from the roots' ensnarement. "Guðmundur, Landvaeittir and Master of these la-"

"-You have no need to talk, Sage of the North. Your persistent drumming has done its job well enough."

Slightly taken aback by the interruption, the Noaidi clamped his mouth shut.

The Landvættir resumed his attention back to me, his dry lips pulling downwards at the edges. "I am very disappointed in you, Adam. We had a deal."

"Guðmundur," I gasped, partly out of relief from seeing him again, and partly out of difficulty breathing. "It's been so long-"

"Much too long." he snapped, scowling. "Our agreement was over. You clearly no longer have any interest in being my aide, or else you would have came just a few hours ago to accomplish your deadline."

"My entire town was besieged by a powerful demon-"

"I've made it very clear before that I don't give a single iota about your kingdom. I was only concerned about what you could do for the Lost Woods. Do you know what you have done by ignoring your quota?" The spirit shook his head in disbelief. "A lot of those shades you befriended missed you. They've been suffering from fear without the help you provide."

My eyebrows rose from this information, and I was tempted to shift my view for the smallest spectral signs of said shades. Some curious eyes, perhaps, a timid wave in the distance, something. I never expected that these shades, who are frequently apprehensive of everything and everyone around them, would hold me in such high regards.

"All day and night," the Landvættir complained, "they pestered me about when you are coming back. They has put me in a very bad mood, these mere mewling minor mutts and their incessant whining! These humans never bothered to show even a modicum of respect to their own warden, and now you, the worst of them all, decided ti come waltzing in here as if nothing happened! What were you thinking, you fool? Were you hoping that you can survive one more romp in to woods? Laughable." The Landvaeittir spat on the ground. "I cannot simply execute you for this insult, but these residents of the forest are not held under such obligations..."

Inhuman, grating voices slithered from between the snares, squealing colorful death threats for having been stalled this long from their prey:

_"Eat him..."_

_"Have him dance over a fire long after his feet turn raw!"_

_"Kill Adam..."_

_"Strip the Adventurer to the bone, crush his skeleton into meal..."_

_"Use his skin for a drum, tight and taut!"_

Sighing in exasperation, I puckered my face, and blew a raspberry at the trapped fiends. The jeers and the irritating din silenced immediately.

First rule to surviving in the Lost Woods: Avoid appearing weak-willed and inexperienced. While blind confidence would be an obvious detriment, feigned arrogance works surprisingly well; it gives predators second thoughts on attacking.

Of course, imitated bravado can only carry a man so far in a situation. I needed to persuade a powerful forest guardian, not bruise his ego any further. I bowed as low as the thick vines could permit me, and groveled, "This is but a single fault in my servitude, and I only request for your forgiveness. As a longtime friend, I ask that you extend your noble hand to me for one last time."

The spirit stared at me with a stoic expression set into wood, completely unresponsive. Guðmundur had not repealed his hostility.

My head and shoulders sagged in defeat. If I could no longer have Guðmundur as an ally, the trudge through the Lost Woods would become all that much harder. I don't know how much longer the Noaidi and I can defend ourselves from the onslaught of fiends; being captured was the first time we could actually stay put long enough to breathe properly.

If I failed, then this whole plan would be for moot. The Spøkelse would not be removed from Ravendall. The kingdom's people would continue to suffer, until every last citizen was killed and subjugated under the monster's nightmarish torment.

If I failed, Trigve was going to pay for my actions with his life.

"I am sorry to have abused your hospitality for this past year, and my shame for such an act has no bounds." I said quietly. "But... please, I can't live with the knowledge that I have doomed my hometown. I'm begging you... Guðmundur of the Lost Woods, you are one of the few people powerful enough to help me save all of Ravendall. Most of all, you were the closest person I had that I could call a friend..."

The old spirit wavered minutely, his eyes pensive in thought. After two minutes of concentration, he stared up at the night sky, and finally let out a long sigh. "I'm only listening, because the good Sage vouched for your integrity."

My eyes widened in disbelief; Guðmundur was actually treating a human being respectfully, speaking without even a hint of smug superiority. I turned to the ensnared shaman sitting on Appelsin, who remained absurdly relaxed and serene during the entire situation.

_What on Earth is this man..._ I shook my head hurriedly. There are some things that are better left unsaid, and this "Sage of the North" was probably one of them. Perhaps, once this whole deal at hand blows over, then I can feel free to inquire all I want about this Noaidi.

"So..." the Landvættir noted pensively to me. "You won't be coming back?"

"Treebeard... I can't."

"I see..." He creaked and turned around, surveying the carnage that had raged before his arrival. "I was messaged that you intend to strand a powerful ghost here. A solution with indefinite staying power, but understandable." The forest guardian raised a thin and knotted arm high above his head. "Very well. As Landvættir and Warden of the Lost Woods, I grant you lawful protection as per our accord." Guðmundur snapped his fingers, the sound splitting the air with the strength and intensity of a crack of thunder. The roots tangling around me, the Noaidi, and Appelsin shuddered, and vaporized into wisps of beautiful emerald light.

"Unfortunately," Guðmundur proceeded, "I cannot afford to let you free without some sort of compensation. Shameless charity would tarnish my name beyond all belief."

I nodded, straightening my back into the proper poise of a prince. "Very well. State your conditions, Treebeard. I'll gladly do anything for all of the help you provided me today."

"Oh, it's just one requirement." The Landvættir's green eyes twinkled, and he extended a branch-like hand to me. "Hand the sword back to me."

The Ulfberht. Instinctively, I squeezed the scabbard hard, and backed away slightly from the guardian spirit.

"The sword, please." Guðmundur pressed. "It was originally a merit, a badge for being underneath my employment. You were supposed to have returned the weapon the moment our contract was over."

I knew it was the right thing to do. I knew it was what I must to, to rid Ravendall of the Spøkelse once and for all.

But... I don't know why I didn't just give the blasted thing to him right then and there. Instead, I made up childish excuses, anything to stall the fact that the Ulfberht, my powerful year-long weapon of choice, was now to be forfeit forever. "I'll be left defenseless in the Lost Woods..."

"These demons, however unruly their natures are, are bound under the same agreement that keeps them alive in the forest. Killing you will not nearly be worth the punishment, however powerful their hate may be."

"But... How will I clear the undergrowth for Appelsin?"

"The horse? He's stepped on worse than a little bit of bush, and you are aware of the fact. You have your knife, don't you?"

What abou-"

"Enough, Sir Adam." the Noaidi interjected, staring hard at me. "What is the matter with you?"

"Do you realize that I'm going beyond what you humans define 'generosity', Adam?" The Landvættir added. "For missing your deadline, I would have sentenced you to a severe penalty for atonement, and yet I am merely requesting that we officially end our contract on good terms." The wood guardian narrowed his green eyes. "What are you so afraid of?"

_Adam, what is wrong with you? What do you fear for losing the Ulfberht?_

Under both of their wizened gazes, I faltered. "The sword was everything to me." I admitted sheepishly. "It was a major part of my adventures here in the Loast Woods." Drawing the Ulfberht an inch from the scabbard, I stared longingly at the brilliant steel, which emitted light without a light source to reflect from. I could just see the clamor of townspeople projected on the metal, as they gathered around to hear the tales of the legendary Adam the Adventurer. "In spite of all the pain and suffering it has brought, it gave me a purpose, something worth fighting for."

My grip on the Ulfberht shook unconsciously, rattling the sword in place. "I've given up my home... my friends, my family... and now, I must surrender the last thing that made me special? Without it, I'll have nothing left... I'll be nothing."

Even with the horde of angry monsters and creatures rooted in place and surrounding our group, the forest became anxiously silent and still.

Then, the Landvættir groaned, and smacked me lightly on the head.

"Ow!" I exclaimed.

"Humans. Always so pointlessly self-critical, always blind to themselves. Don't you understand?" He leaned forward, so I could smell soil, leaves, fresh grass, tree sap, and a blend of other aromas exhumed from his breath. "The sword is but a conduit, a mere crutch for a man such as you. It is an emblem of my employment. Nothing more, nothing less."

"...Excuse me?"

"You still have your head, don't you? You still have your strength, your skills, and your loved ones, no?" The Landvættir held his hand out expectantly for one last time. "You will still be Adam, with or without a powerful weapon by your side."

That... that was the closest thing I ever heard from Guðmundur that resembled a compliment. He's right, of course; even without the sword, nothing about me will change. Worst-case scenario, I'll be less adept at disposing monsters. After all, I still have my wits, my ability to survive, and the people whom I must protect. I wasn't going to have them die from a petty moment of weakness.

Reluctantly, I passed the sword to Guðmundur. His twig-like fingers wrapped around the scabbard, and he placed it against his chest. His bark skin morphed and melted, enclosing itself around the Ulfberht like a toothless and sideways jaw, until it snapped around the sword; the enchanted weapon now was firmly within the wood spirit, without a single trace of it left to be seen.

Guðmundur rubbed his chin, and raised a finger at me. "The sun will be coming up soon, diminishing the Spøkelse's tracking ability and sight. You have until nightfall before I terminate our agreement once and for all."

I ran and embraced the Landveittir fully, ignoring the splinters and scratches cause by his rough and jagged skin. The spirit came to a startled stop, and hesitantly patted me on the back. In the distance, I could hear Appelsin snort repeatedly, sounding suspiciously like he was laughing at this state of affairs.

After I finally released Guðmundur, the old spirit swiped a hand dismissively. "Away with the rest of you!" his voice boomed. The roots suspending the fiendish creatures vanished into burst of lights, eliciting howls and screams of pain. The demons, frustrated that their prey has escaped their grasp once more, snaked back from whence they came, screeching obscenities and curses as they disappeared from sight.

Then, there was only silence. Pure, golden silence.

The Landvættir gestured to the Noaidi. "You know what to do, Sage of the North."

The aged man nodded, slinging his drum over a broad shoulder. "Adam," he called, hopping off Appelsin's back. "It's finally daybreak. What was the Spøkelse's name, and what do you love most about Ravendall?"

I contorted my eyes in bemusement. "Wait, what? What does that have to do with any-"

As I was trying to form an answer to his bizarre requests, the shaman lunged forward without warning, his strong hands outstretched as they struck me simultaneously. His thumbs jabbed deep into my heart and forehead, even as images of my last meeting with Trigve, ghosts, monsters, triumphant journeys, treasured moments within Ravendall, and the word _"Holmgeirr"_ repeated themselves in my mind. I didn't even yelp in astonishment before the Noaidi drew back ponderously, pulling... _something _along with him.

Hanging off of his fingers were translucent, blue streams, painted with white pinpoints of starlight that bounced and twinkled with merriment. Deftly, the man moved his hands over and around each other, so the glittering ribbons followed suit and jumbled together, coalescing into a ball of blinding light the size of my fist.

"I'm terribly sorry, Sir Adam. I needed your memories and emotions to draw the Spøkelse's attention to us." He grimaced at me apologetically. "Call me an old coward, but I'm too old to become another prime target. As soon as this strategy is executed, we will part ways, and hopefully never see each other again."

I blinked at him, stunned, and shook my head. "Oh n-no, it's perfectly fine. His grudge should go to me, and me alone." I bent down to observe the little ball of cobalt light floating between his hands curiously. "Still though, exactly... what are you going to do?"

The Noaidi's lively eyes glittered with mischief. "I may be retired from hunting heavyweights and big game," he announced, straightening his back with pride, "but I will not shy away from a sucker punch." He clasped his hands around the orb, seemingly fighting an invisible pressure that threatened to burst and escape. Even the rays of azure light emitted attempted to squeeze themselves between his thick fingers, thin beams that bled through at times.

"Ready?" he asked waveringly, his arms straining to hold my memories within.

I nodded.

With a gasp of relief, he released his grip on the light. It gleefully burst into a miniature sun that blinded everyone around it, shooting out of the forest canopy and high into the open air. It flared a trail of cerulean stars that tailed the main source in graceful lines and arcs. As the the magical projectile soared with incredible speed across the slowly brightening sky, it shone beams that illuminated even the darkest crevices of the Lost Woods, far beyond what the human eye could see.

Eventually, the light faded into the distance, replaced by the simple tranquility of a forest in the early morning; the rest of the world had resumed its mundane activities.

"Was... was that supposed to work like it did?" I asked tentatively.

I only had to wait for a second longer for the subject to resolve itself; a roaring gale ripped through the trees, causing wood to bend and snap, and leaves to thrash violently in death rattles. Touched with a familiar and unpleasantly spine-tingling chill, the wind tore into me, forcing my arms upward to brace against it. Appelsin whinnied nearby, galloping in front of me and stamping himself to the ground to shield his owner from the chunks of loose debris picked up by the massive gust.

The noble effort was a tad unnecessary though, because the hurricane died as soon as it began.

"It appears that the demon took notice of your actions. A job well done, Sage of the North." complimented the Landvættir. Naturally, neither of them appeared even a touch ruffled by the surprise windstorm.

The forest floor groaned heavily, and the ground beneath Guðmundur melted into a funnel, sucking the spirit into the earth. "It is time that we finally part ways, Adam the Adventurer. Take care and good luck, my friend..."

I waved at him just before he was completely swallowed, and watched as the ground snapped back into its original state.

"Farewell, Treebeard."

With only myself, a horse, and a temporary escort, I departed from Ravendall entirely, for other worlds unknown.

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><p><strong>Between Page 122-123:<strong>

Dear Adam,

How have you been? Is the winter becoming too cold for you? Are you eating proper meals regularly? Surely, you must at least have a bed to sleep on? I'm only asking because rumors have begun to spread, whispering about an erratic young man who has been stirring up trouble for months within a backwater fishing village. I don't suppose that could be you, could it? If it was, it would give me such great joy to know my brother has finally found a place to feel safe in.

It has been three years as of yet, and it has not returned to Ravendall. I guess we both have that Noaidi to thank for everything.

Speaking of which, that man has only traveled back to the castle once, immediately after the incident, to report your success. He was the one who told me we can't contact each other by mundane methods, lest it might catch on, and trace paths back to either of us. Instead, he prescribed to me the other way to keep us in touch. It didn't matter that the service was expensive, or that delivery could be delayed for entire months; as long as I could exchange words with you again, I was willing to pay the price.

But... Adam, we can't do this forever, at least not for now. I know you have been scraping for every coin in your pocket just to tell me you're still alive, and I don't want to be the reason why you are impoverished. Being my little brother and all, you probably won't listen as usual, but please... Unless you become, I don't know, a king or something, please refrain from writing back to me. You have your own life to live now, and it's about time I stop having a distant little brother who's more concerned about my well-being than his own.

However, that is not the main reason why I'm writing this letter. Adam... we live so far apart. I fear for the inevitable day when we disappear completely from each other's lives. Over the past couple of years, the image of how I always imagined you was beginning to fade; I've already forgotten how tall you were, what kind of cape color you preferred, or the way you used to walk. I know such things are trivial, but eventually, time will rot away both our memories, until neither of us will ever remember that we even had a brother.

It's already affecting the townspeople; you are now a legend, your tales and adventures becoming fantasies to impress children with, just because everything you have achieved and sacrificed was just too incredible. As I listen to them recall you, a sinking feeling from the revelation plagues me to the moment I drift into sleep. I don't know how I would have managed to survive had I not met Johanna, a huge fan of yours.

That is why I've finally decided to take up painting with her. If you must know, she was the only one I could bring myself to trust to paint for me; it was her who worked on all those paintings I sent you on your birthday. Now, she tutors me on a daily basis. I cannot tell you just how incredible a woman she is, teaching me the proper way to use a brush with patience and virtue one couldn't find anywhere else.

Even as of now, as I'm writing this, I can just imagine you sniggering in the distance, and I won't blame you; even as a young boy with actual spare time, I have always been an atrocious artist.

Still, I must try to work hard and improve myself, until one day a viewer could swear that my portraits may as well be mirrors. I must do it for your sake; I know you are homesick, and miss Ravendall's forests and waterfalls terribly. I know you miss its people even more so. Perhaps, by learning from the best in Ravendall, I too could play a larger part in reminding you of home.

Another thing: Once I can finally paint images perfectly, I wish to paint you a portrait of Johanna; I want to show just how much beauty and kindness she possesses in ways that can not be expressed in words. With enough luck, such a dream can be achieved before your relationship with me finally atrophies to nothingness.

One day, we will forget about each other as time flows on, stripping away memories and cherished moments like a cleansing river against stone, until we lay forgotten and useless on our deathbeds. But today will not be that day, and certainly not tomorrow! Johanna and I will continue fighting to preserve your memory and your sacrifice, and only hope that you will do the same.

I finish this letter to you with only seven words:

Take care of yourself, and good luck.

Love,  
><em>King Trigve of Ravendall<em>

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><p><em>End of Day One<em>

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><p><strong>Feel free to ask me any questions; I'm not popular enough to be bogged down by messages, and I will gladly answer each and every one in my own way.<strong>

**See you guys soon, fans of Frozen.**


	12. Ch 12: Totally Bizarre

**Angst. Angst angst angst angst.**

**angstangstangstangstangstangstangstangstangstangst...**

**ANGST!**

**Flipping balls, almost every writer seems to love dipping their fingers into pies filled with heartbreaking stories and whatnot, plucking away at those heartstrings like... I don't don't know, a rockstar guitarist or something (I'm not a band enthusiast). **

**...Sorry about that. It's just that I am finding myself writing darker and bleaker chapters, which is kind of displacing what I really wanted to do: a story that could have been made by Disney itself. I wanted _Have Courage, Elsa_ to be a ride through the _Frozen_ universe, an exciting and heartwarming adventure that could make use of the movie's colorful cast of characters in a way that I could see as a sequel. I wished to write about how anyone, be it a freak, a soldier, a random civilian, or even a schlub could be the best humanity has to offer if they put their backs to it, and how their lives could lead to wonderful journeys full of action, dreams, and romance (not the kind you are thinking about). I wanted this story to be a deconstruction, a reconstruction, a romp filled with the same kind of imagination that characterized Disney for nearly an entire century! **

**Above all, I wanted to show that, while reality will always toss a giant of a thundercloud coming your way at some point in your life, there may not just a silver lining behind that beast, but possibly an entire jubilant celebration waiting for you...**

**...And yet here I am, trying to write sob stories.**

**"sigh" There are too many 90% cocoa moments, and I am dangerously close to making them my focus. No offense to you fantastic fanfic writers, but that's just not that path I want to follow.**

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><p><strong>Rant over. Glad you guys managed to survive this far besides me.<strong>

**All rights belong to Disney, and editing kudos goes to FrozenRose1.**

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><p><span>Chapter 12<span>

Totally Bizarre

* * *

><p>Start of Day Two<p>

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><p>"'Take care of yourself, and good luck.'"<p>

Finally ending Prince Adam's story with Trigve's letter, Helge craned his back upwards to relieve his sore spine. He didn't know exactly how long had he been reading from the journal, but the creature could feel the crevices of his rock body grind against each other audibly like millstones after a long time of arrested movement.

Idly, he glanced sideways to observe the Royal Family. The troll had warned them earlier that Adam's recounts surrounding the Spøkelse may prove detrimental, and evaluating their current status could determine how deep of a setback they would be in before its arrival, and where these three would be going. Their fighting spirits must be top-notch if Arendelle was to survive.

Helge's eyes first fell upon his adoptive little brother, Kristoff. The mountain man said little, propping his elbows against the tabletop to support his head. He stared at a distinct spot on the wall without focus.

Next to Kristoff, Anna also stared into the distance like her boyfriend, her eyes seemingly glazed. She blinked repeatedly, perhaps a slight touch more frequently than humans typically do.

Helge privately smiled to himself at the sight of her; although Anna was still unusually still and hushed by her energetic standards, the redhead Princess was merely fighting a losing battle against incoming slumber. The fact that she was able to stomach the Adventurer's journal entries much more smoothly than her peers will prove her to be a valuable asset when the time comes.

Unfortunately, even a quick glance was enough for Helge to conclude that Anna's sister experienced the opposite effect: Upon the Queen's turn to be observed, Helge's preexisting grin faltered into concern for the lady; sleep deprivation and events from the journal parallel to her own experiences had cracked the stoic and professional mask the blonde wore hours ago. In fact, out of the three humans sitting in front of Helge, Queen Elsa of Arendelle was the most stricken; the poor woman held herself tightly as if she was desperately trying to warm herself, and her eyes were dulled and casted low, staring into space in a hazy trance.

Helge wouldn't blame her if she had frosted the entire library right then and there; the trauma suffered by Elsa was unbelievable according to Kristoff, and was nowhere near likely to be alleviated anytime soon, certainly not before the Spøkelse's arrival. It was very possible that Adam the Adventurer's accounts uncovered fresh mental scars within the Queen, which could lead to a buildup of emotional pressure. Her meltdown just a short while before proved just how badly Adam's memories affected her, with her ice magic serving as a primitive release mechanism.

So... what happened to her release? Where's the chunks of ice? Where's the blizzards, the raging storms?

It was to the little troll's astonishment that the Snow Queen had produced neither a single snowflake, nor even a small drop in temperature. Helge wasn't sure exactly what to consider her sudden reign over her powers; perhaps she came to an miraculous epiphany in the middle of Helge's reading and finally settled her personal conflicts, saving him a subject needed addressing for the upcoming arrival of the Spøkelse.

No, that was far too optimistic. Realistically speaking, Elsa had to be more like a ticking time-bomb waiting to burst.

A pale glint of copper diverted Helge's attention, and he found himself looking back at the Princess. Despite their rough start yesterday morning, he was finding himself appreciating the redhead's qualities more and more; Kristoff had always said Anna was a brash girl, but she was nowhere close to being stupid. By the looks of her concerned blue eyes, the Princess evidently came to the same conclusion about Elsa like he did.

Anna took a deep breath, and stood up slowly from her chair, feeling her limbs creak audibly with relief; sitting in a single position for hours on end was not her forte, and she couldn't help but enjoy herself as she flexed outwards, forgetting almost all of her discomforts and nerves.

Still though, the relationship between Adam and his brother remained stuck in the back of Anna's mind, festering far too long for the Princess' liking. _Those two had their love go sour, not unlike what happened between me and Elsa as kids, _she mused.

_It was nice that the two finally made up, and even sent letters to each other!_ Anna reasoned to herself.

_But... to be separated forever..._

The Princess shuddered at the mere germ of that thought, and shook her head hard enough for it to rattle. _Nope. Absolutely not. Will definitely not happen._

_The thirteen years of closed doors do not count?_

Anna scrunched up her face to pull a sour expression at herself. _Not anymore, bub. I'm going to quit thinking about this right now, and you can't stop me!_

_Perhaps... but can you stop your sister from doing the same?_

Anna's bright blue eyes focused on her older sister, and her heart sank at the sight; from the other side of the table, the redhead found herself staring at a neurotic mess. Elsa just looked so... closed off. Alone. Miserable. She reminded Anna of the disaster that was the Coronation party just three weeks ago.

Right... Elsa had always been so hard on herself. Even after she learned to control her magic through love, thirteen long years of heartbreak and silence was too much to be solved through her reconciliation with Anna. Of course she would put herself into one of the brothers' shoes, replaying her isolation and self-imposed exile from her loved ones once again to no end. Of course she would imagine the worst of the Spolkese's... the Spoke- ...the monster's capabilities, whose acts were terrifying and strong enough to torture an entire kingdom that may as well be the Royal Sister's own.

Well, that will never happen under Anna's watch. Her older sister has to smile again, which will require some much-needed words of support. Slowly, the redhead made her way to the Snow Queen as not to startle her. "Elsa..." she breathed.

"O-o-o ho! Too nuch', too nuch'!"

A crack of deafening thunder and snapping wood, accompanied by the screeching protest of metal, resounded in the air, splitting the silence like the strike of a sharp sword. The disturbance was strong enough to kick dust off worn books and rattle painting frames against the walls, alarming everyone inside the library.

Anna yelped reactively, whipping her head and body towards the source of the sound fast enough to slap herself with her own pigtails.

Helge's knee-jerk reaction was nowhere near better; the troll jolted as if he stepped on hot cinders, and his stone toes clattered against the hard tabletop. The little troll's footing became unsure, and Helge toppled over as he waved his short arms with futility. His rotund body bounced against wood, and he laid on his back with a stunned expression on his face.

"Oh my, Your Majesty! Your Highness! Did I disturb you?"

A broad, pleasantly-heavyset woman barged into the library, balancing two large silver trays on her hands with the steady experience of a veteran servant. The disturbance was just Gerda, the Head Maid of the Arendelle Royal Palace; the older woman had unintentionally burst into the four people inside the library by misjudging her strength against the entrance doors.

Anna felt clumps of her own hair clinging to her tongue, and spat a pigtail out of her mouth in disgust. When that wasn't enough to get all of the strands out, she spat some more, looking immaturely ridiculous as she did so.

Rubbing her mouth dry of spittle, Anna turned around to check the two older members of the Royal Family. The Princess huffed out a breath in exasperation; _of course_ Kristoff and Elsa had to treat the surprise with much more grace. Her boyfriend merely stood up out of his chair in alarm, his brown eyes bright and alerted. Her sister, on the other hand, barely moved a hint, instead flicking her blue eyes to the direction of the maid.

"Gerda! It's so nice to see you, even at an hour this... late." Anna chirped. A passing memory flickered into life within the redhead's mind. "Say, have you seen Olaf around? I remembered asking him to go grab some hot cocoa, although looking back at it, I guess I should have told him where to find it..."

"Anna."

"But wait... oh, oh nono... He's completely lost, isn't he? Now that I'm thinking about him, do snowmen even know how to make hot chocolate? It is hot chocolate after all... which makes it 'hot!' how will he be able to survive!? He'll be melted straight to the floor! Gerda, Elsa, I'm so, so sorry! Quick! We have to go save him bef-"

"Anna. You're rambling again." Gerda smiled at the redhead apologetically. "No worries, I wasn't the only one who intruded upon your 'super secret' discussion." She flicked her chin to the back; a strange, dumpy-looking, buck-toothed bird-headed creature peeked out from behind her, before skipping merrily into full view. He spread glittering snowflakes everywhere as he greeted the Royal Family, making barely legible noises with only a tongue and an upper maw to guide his pitch. "Hiya guyth!"

The gang besides Helge widened their eyes in recognition of the peculiar creature; he was unmistakably Olaf, the only snowman who possessed both a personal snowcloud and dancing ability, but something was just... missing.

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty, but Olaf unfortunately had a little... accident with the kitchen stove."

Olaf gasped in shock, and hurried over Gerda to give her a great big hug. Anna couldn't help but giggle at the adorable sight. "I think he's perfectly okay and forgives you, despite whatever could have possibly happened!" remarked the Princess. Something wonderful and warm wafted up her nose, and she closed her eyes as she inhaled the scent hungrily as if she could consume it directly. The aroma was so rich and inviting, Anna had to gulp her saliva down before it could overflow and spill out of her mouth. "By the way, what is that amazing smell?"

Gerda beamed with pride, and bent forward in a flourishing curtsy to reveal the contents on her silver trays.

Everyone sucked in a gasp of delight, even Elsa; on Gerda's left tray were big steaming mugs of hot cocoa, sweet-smelling, aromatic, and adorned with little plump marshmallows. The rich vapors emitted from the cups seemed to brighten the very atmosphere of the library, brushing aside the dour and imposing gloom that polluted it for the past few hours.

"A little midnight snack for everyone?" Gerda suggested, waving her other tray slightly.

What was on Gerda's right tray garnered a similar reaction; slices of beautiful chocolate cake sat upon small porcelain platters, dark and moist. They were frosted in rich mousse and topped with strawberries, blueberries, and a variety of other succulent fruits. Each piece of cake was also adorned with a dollop of white cream, coated in chocolate flakes and shavings. Oh, to just have a single bite from one of those treasures... Anna couldn't maintain her desire this time, and she wiped dribble from her mouth as she eyed the treats in anticipation.

Gerda appeared quite pleased by Anna's gleefully childlike behavior, and made a big show of walking to the table and setting the contents down. The treats were quickly snatched by their respective persons with clinks of fine china.

The Head Maid chuckled to herself in satisfaction as she watched everyone enjoy themselves, especially Princess Anna as she drained her entire mug in a single go; the girl's lack of self-restraint was something to behold. "How was it?" Gerda asked her.

Anna scarfed down her entire cake with gusto, and rubbed her stuffed cheeks in pleasure. "Oh. My. Goodness! It's too freaking delicious, Gerda!" she muffled delightedly. "And this cake! It doesn't matter that the words on my slice spelled 'Get Well Soon'! It's amazing!"

"You'll have to thank Her Majesty for that. For a girl who had only shopped by herself for the first time, you sure have a good eye for baked goods, Queen Elsa!"

"Really? Thank you sis!" Anna shouted enthusiastically. Kristoff and Helge looked up from their food to muffle their appreciation as well.

Elsa's heart fluttered upon their gazes, and she dipped her blonde head bashfully, blood coloring her pale cheeks a dark shade of pink. Nevertheless, she smiled in light of their gratitude; the events starting from the maid's unexpected entrance had been an absolute blessing against the Snow Queen's melancholy.

Gerda, who had been watching everything unfold, chortled at the sight of the Royal Sisters. "The overall selection may just feel a little too rich," the maid admitted, "but I just know you ladies and gentlemen have to be hungry at this hour-"

The Head Servant paused, her jaw freezing midway for a few seconds before restarting its course. "Ladies and gentlemen..." Narrowing her eyes, she stuck out her fingers to address the people within the library. "Elsa, Anna..." she muttered, counting them off. "Kristoff, Olaf, me..." The plump woman blinked in bewilderment at one extra finger that stood up. "Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, me, and..." Her eyes fell upon a little figure standing right on top the table, one who held his mug in its stone fingers and stopped moving mid-sip. The grey, rotund creature, around the same size as Olaf, blinked and stared at her; she did the same in return. It raised a granite hand hesitantly in a wave.

"It's alive!" Gerda screeched.

Anna brought her hands up to her mouth in horror. "Ah, whoops." she said meekly, cringing in embarrassment. "Sorry, sorry! I forgot that we never really introduced him to anyone yet..." She cleared her throat, and motioned her hand in an imitation of a formal introduction. "Gerda, meet Helge of the Valley of Living Rock. Helge, meet Gerda, the Head Servant of our Palace."

The troll glanced at the Princess skeptically, but he made a grand bow that rattled the glowing trinkets hanging from his neck, before extending a hand towards the alarmed woman. "A pleasure to meet you, ma'am." The woman could only recoil back in fear of the creature.

"He's not going to hurt you, Gerda." Kristoff assured, standing up from his seat to nudge the little guy with an elbow. "He came from a line of the best trolls I've ever known. It was his family who raised me when Sven and I were just kids."

"T-trolls..."

"They saved Anna's life with their magic thirteen years ago." Elsa quietly clarified.

It was to everyone's relief that nothing more was needed to be said; a sort of comprehension sparked in Gerda's eyes, and the Head Servant finally managed to compose herself long enough to shake the troll's hand, eyeing him with intrigue. When they released their grip from each other, the older woman gestured with a bow of her own, saying, "I would like to thank you for your hospitality when you rescued Anna from her magical injury, as well as raising Kristoff into quite the wonderful person."

Besides the troll, the blonde mountain man's face blushed, and he scratched the back of his head sheepishly while grinning like a fool.

"He has his rough edges," Gerda continued, "but the man has become a great and eager help as part of the Royal Staff, and a friend to the Royal Sisters."

Helge beamed toothily at her. "Thank you for your kind words. I can assure you that Kristoff had always been a good man and an excellent worker, even compared to most of our kind. He does have his quirks involving his reindeer Sven, but I can assure you that they are perfectly harmless."

"Hey!" Kristoff snapped. "She didn't even ask for any information like that!"

"What? I'm just warning her to watch out for your bout of weirdness, Kristoff!" Helge retorted. The troll grunted as Kristoff swiped a large arm to lock him into a chokehold, rubbing his knuckles audibly against the troll's tangled hair. "And the fact that you haven't denied my claim is saying quite a bit!"

"You mention another word, and I swear I'm going to feed you to Sven!"

"You know you'd rather kiss _me_ than hurt your best buddy!" Helge shot back with a smirk.

"Kiss you? Well, I've had worse regrets in my life..." Kristoff grunted.

"My word!" Helge mocked. "What would your dear Anna think?"

"You're just bitter that I got a girlfriend before you!"

The two surrogate brothers began making quite a scene as they wrestled for dominance, all the while snidely bickering about each other's faults. While Anna and Gerda spectated them with expressions torn between amusement and bemusement, Elsa couldn't help but find the two's interactions utterly fascinating. Even as they scowled, the liveliness in Kristoff's and Helge's eyes showed that they treated the entire exchange as a joke. The quick grins the boys flashed at each other at times only cemented the Queen's observation.

As far as she was concerned, Kristoff and Helge were perfectly well-adjusted, happy family members, completely unlike the shattered history of the Royal Family.

_Is this how a proper family should resemble? _Elsa mused to herself, perhaps a bit sadly.

The Queen of Arendelle felt a tug on her frost cloak, distracting her from the chaos. She glanced downwards to see Olaf raising his stick hands out to her expectantly, motioning with his fingers.

"Oh geez, I completely forgot about you!" Elsa bent downwards from her seat to pick Olaf up gently. He giggled as she placed him on her lap, and rested her chin against his snow head. He was nowhere near capable of producing body heat, but his lively presence between her arms served as a sort of security blanket, or perhaps a giant plush doll that could wiggle its stubby feet.

Elsa's lips couldn't help but pull themselves into a wide smile. _This is really nice... Having someone like Olaf close by, and just watching everyone have fun._

_Don't you want to be a part of that?_

Elsa redirected her eyes back to sibling scuffle; Helge was now tackling Kristoff, while Anna rooted for her boyfriend between mouthfuls of (stolen) chocolate cake. Gerda had long ago accepted the events happening before her, and was now merely watching over the three with the concern of a matron.

Whle Elsa was distracted, the rest of the gang have already focused back to the Spøkelse' history; Anna just finished asking Gerda permission to discuss some very severe matters within the maid's vicinity. Elsa didn't catch the question itself, but she heard Gerda reply, saying: "I see... I am unaware of what you and Helge have planned, but worry not dear. I promise not a single word shall slip through these Palace walls."

"Are you sure about that?" Kristoff panted, removing himself from Helge while raising his hands up to gesture for a cease-fire.

"Of course, Mister Bjorgman. I had been employed for almost as long as Her Majesty had first drew breath; l I am no stranger to conspiracies and secrets."

Helge dusted his moss tunic as he nodded in approval for the Servant. "Excellent. You have been a wonderful hostess, Gerda, but I would hate to hold back information in your presence."

Anna clapped her hands together affirmatively. "That's great, because I have a question that really, really needs answering."

"Well then, fire away."

Anna drew a long breath through her nose to steel herself, puffing her chest up in an imitation of a severe Queenly image. "Is it... is it really true that Prince Adam's magical sword was taken in permanently by that Treebeard guy?"

Helge scratched at his tangled mop of hair, scowling at the answer he was forced to confess. "Adam the Adventurer never returned to the Lost Woods of Ravendall; he retained his paranoia of the Spøkelse, fearing that just being within sight of the forest will give his position away to the demon. He would have been right, of course."

Elsa frowned, and spoke out just as Anna opened her mouth. "So... no one else took up the sword?"

Helge smiled humorlessly at the Queen. "From where we are, at this point in time? The Ulfberht may as well be sitting at the bottom of a bottomless pit."

Elsa stared at the troll. "...Such things are commonplace in Ravendall, aren't they?" she flatly commented. Helge could only shrug at her in response.

Anna turned to her Head Servant for an answer instead. "How about you, Gerda?" she piped. "Did we ever have any enchanted magical items lying around the castle?" After a second's worth of consideration, the Princess rolled her eyes, and added, "Heck, do we even have anything that was at least _cursed_ magically?"

Gerda shook her head apologetically. "If I had known of any such possible artifacts since I first worked for your parents, I would have alerted Queen Elsa of their whereabouts before her Coronation."

Anna grimaced, and sighed in frustration, her shoulders drooping to dangerously low heights. "That... is completely unfair. How are we supposed to defend ourselves then, if even Adam the Monster-Slayer couldn't take care of him?"

"Anna's got a point." observed Kristoff. "She and Elsa never left their castle since they were children, and I have only bothered to learn the basics of avoiding and running away from supernatural threats. If this guy is truly a major-league demo- um... creature, what can we possibly do to stop him?"

Helge raised a finger high into the air dramatically, announcing, "Ah, but you two seemed to have forgotten: We have the one thing Adam was never truly capable of!" With a swish of his moss-woven cape, he flourished a hand towards - Queen Elsa choked - _her._

Anna's eyes sparked in comprehension. "Oh... that actually makes sense!"

Elsa, on the other hand, unwrapped her hands around Olaf to hold them out in protest. "Waitwaitwait... your entire plan banks on me fighting it!?"

"Well, as fortune would have it, you are the one with the astounding powers of air and frost closest to the spirit's main target. However, that just makes you our heaviest hitter. Just as a single Queen cannot take on a whole chessboard without the impossible luck of a Fool, you cannot do the job alone. You may be a born enchantress, but you will need support."

Support.

Her friends.

Her _family._

"No." A hint of frost touched Elsa's voice as she snapped affirmatively at Helge. "I am not going to have anyone hurt themselves for my sake." She shook her pale head, and gestured to Anna and Kristoff, who watched the exchange between the Queen and the troll with unease. "How are they even supposed to touch the Spøkelse anyway, if people without abilities couldn't touch it? I don't suppose you have a training session that could teach everything in a couple of days?"

"As a matter of fact, we trolls have nothing of that sort. Fortunately for everyone here, Grand Pabbie and I have already planned it out." Helge explained in a level tone. "We've decided to take a page out of Adam's book, and trap the Spøkelse in the realm of Helheim before it reaches Arendelle."

Helheim. The Realm where the Dead are transported to, the World of the Spirits.

Had Elsa been standing up, she would have collapsed to a heap backwards onto her chair. Instead, she merely slumped against her seat, holding Olaf in her arms even tighter. "Hel-... Will... Does it actually work?"

"The rules of the reality do not apply in the spirit, Your Majesty." The troll responded softly. By forcing the fight there, we can bypass the ghost's natural defenses by confronting his very heart, and take him down."

"But... the citizens of Arendelle... how are we supposed to protect them?"

"As long as you three can hold true to your wills to fight, we can subjugate the creature once and for all, and have it eradicated from ever hurting anyone ever again."

"...If we lose-"

"I understand how you feel, Your Majesty." Helge interrupted patiently. "However, your fates and the kingdom's will be no different if you fail whether or not you are in Hel or on Earth; the main question is how we can increase our chances of survival and victory.

"Besides," Helge gave Elsa a toothy troll grin, "you and your comrades are more than capable of handling yourselves as they are, no? They did save an entire kingdom from an Eternal Winter and a usurper by themselves after all, yes?"

Anna stood up straight to flash a fearless smile, hopping in place and bringing her arms up in a strongman pose. "Don't worry about us, Elsa! I'm not worried at all about any Spolkese! I'll give him such a massive thrashing before he can get his hands on Arendelle, his face will be nothing but dented scrap heap! Isn't that right, Gerda?"

The maid had learned long ago that it was futile to rebuff the Princess; her eyes crinkled at the edges, and she answered by saying, "I'm fairly certain it's pronounced 'Spøkelse', Your Highness, but I have complete faith that you will kick a ghost's butt up between his ears."

"See, she agrees!"

"Anna..."

"And Kristoff worked as an ice-harvester for years, doing one-man jobs with only Sven as a business partner! They've hauled literally tons of ice for most of their lives. The two are incredibly strong, you know!"

"Oh, he's strong, but it's nothing compared to the inherent natural strength of a troll!" Helge boasted.

Kristoff crossed his arms, and smirked at his adoptive brother. "Says the one guy who couldn't even jump his own height..."

"Wha-what are you talking about? Of course I've got more muscle packed in these arms and legs than you!"

"Well, let's prove it!"

Alright, alright! Engarde! I will show you just how I can beat you in both brain and brawn!"

Once more, the scene devolved into a grapple between the troll and the mountain man, with Anna whooping by the sidelines. Gerda merely stood by the bookshelves, bouncing the two away should they end up hurting themselves.

_These guys... _

The Snow Queen used to admire the courage the people of Arendelle carried in their hearts. They weren't cowardly enough to consider running away as their first option. They didn't let a looming threat phase them so much they needed something as childish as a doll in their arms to feel secure. In spite of the possible destruction of the kingdom, in spite of being a small party of potential fighters against a powerful foe, people like Anna, Kristoff, and Gerda could still find the energy to laugh and joke, to play and have fun...

She _used _to admire her people's courage.

Now? She was insanely jealous of them. She wanted their kind of bravery. She wanted to be as recklessly happy as them, to find a reason to continue smiling towards a brighter tomorrow. What could she possibly do, in comparison to them?

_You have your powers..._

_...but you're a coward who's afraid of using them, like a child who can't stop wetting herself._

Elsa looked back at the group desperately, hoping that she could find a way to participate in their happiness.

_I... I can't do it. I can't see myself as one of them._

Something wriggled in her arms, prodding her leg repeatedly and gently. "A hargle largle..." Olaf muttered.

Without uttering a word, Elsa traced her thin fingers along Olaf's head. Wisps of sparkling blue light followed her, congealing into a luminous cloud that danced around the snowman's absent chin. His upper jaw quivered, extending downwards into a mass of snow that solidified into a recognizable chin. A sideways cut with the Queen's fingernails etched a straight line across the snowman's face, forming a wide smile.

Nodding slowly in approval at her handiwork, Elsa spread out her lithe fingers; the line followed along, peeling itself into an open mouth that testily opened and closed its mouth repeatedly. Giggling in glee, Olaf hopped out of Elsa's lap. "Thank you so much, Elsa! You have absolutely no idea how good it feels to talk again!" he squealed, smacking his lips. The snowman toddled over to the rest of the gang. "Hey guys, look! Now I'm perfect!"

Anna paused her cheering to laugh alongside the snowman's jubilation. "That fantastic, Olaf!" She bent over to sneak a drink from Kristoff's mug of hot chocolate.

"Oh, I kind of tried telling you guys before: My mouth was in that cocoa."

Anna sputtered, leaking some of the mug's content from her lips. However, she stared at the cup pensively, hung up on deciding whether it is a good idea to spit the stuff out.

With some deliberation, she finally swallowed; even with the melted remains of Olaf's jaw inside it, the hot chocolate was too good to waste on the floor.

"Heh, wasn't expecting that reaction!" Olaf remarked, turning around to face the Queen. "I guess it's a good thing you weren't drinking while I just said that, right Els- Wait, where are you going?"

The Snow Queen had just pushed the library doors open without alerting anyone, the sparkles dancing off of her dress and braid fading as she slipped into the dark hallways.

Olaf waved hesitantly at the light-blue figure as she disappeared out of sight. "Um... Alright then! Good night, Elsa!"

"Elsa?..." Anna's eyes followed Olaf's, and immediately realized that Elsa had left the Royal Library. There was no doubt that Elsa was in trouble; she looked terrible before Gerda's arrival, and Olaf's tone suggested that the respite from Adam's story was not enough to help her sister recover.

She needed Anna's help.

"Elsa!" the Princess cried. She took one step towards the library doors, and promptly collapsed to the floor.

"Anna!" Kristoff shouted. He wrestled himself free from Helge's grip, and rushed over to Anna's side. "Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm fine, I'm fine! Sorry..." Anna replied weakly. She tried stifling a yawn without much success. "I'm... j-just a little tired."

"Geez, how long have you been holding off sleep to fall down like this?"

"Please," Anna protested, "you have to take me to Elsa! What time is it anyway, Gerda?"

Only silence answered the Princess back. Both Kristoff and Anna turned to the maid in curiosity. "Gerda?"

The Maid just stood in front of the table, frozen in place, her mouth agape in horror. All she did was stare at a mug of steaming hot cooca, and a pristine slice of chocolate cake.

"Her Majesty... she never touched her food..."

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><p><strong>Don't forget to pop in a review if you could, even if you don't have an account; I'm pretty sure you readers have writing skills that pale mine in comparison, so feel free to ask me questions about the story, corrections, inconsistencies, something. On the other hand, i<strong>**f my writing genuinely pleases you, say some words of encouragement instead.**

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen._**


	13. Ch 13: I Wish You Would Tell Me Why

**Well, it's been three months, but Have Courage, Elsa has officially reached the three-digit numbers; as of this chapter, the story has 54 reviews under its belt, 56 favorites, and 104 followers! "blows kazoo"**

**To those readers who had decided this story was worth putting in their radar since January, I can only say that I freaking love you. Your support over these months is the reason why I didn't just drop this story as yet another one of my failed, short-lived projects. **

**Now, watch as I take a seat here, and wait patiently for the numbers to dwindle down to 99... 74... 52... 27... 1... 0...**

**...-4.**

**But, I digress: To celebrate such a milestone, as well as the fact that this is the thirteenth official chapter of the story (because Elsa can be seen as the thirteenth Disney Princess of the franchise line-up, and therefore saddled with all the bad luck multiplied by three), I've added a special little bonus to the bottom of this chapter.**

**As usual, credit goes to my main man-... no wait, my comrade... partner in crime... girl... lady...**

**...Yeah, "partner in crime" sounds much sweeter.**

**Anyways, credit goes to FrozenRose1 for preventing my writing from becoming catastrophically abysmal by working as my beta-reader, and all rights goes to Disney for making _Frozen_ ruin my life.**

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><p><span>Chapter 13<span>

I Wish You Would Tell Me Why

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><p><em>Helge's Journal Observations, Passage No. 1:<em>

_A Spøkelse is created when a human soul subjugates another into becoming part of its identity. The demon earns the skills and memories of its victim, along with the loyalty of the defeated soul itself. They are almost always ghosts, because a physical body serves as a means of defense against such a union._

_The Spøkelse also changes slightly after each Subjugation, its traits de-emphasizing and warping with every act of cannibalism. However, the original spirit's personality remains dominant, ultimately removing any possible benefits from using friendly shades to change its primary objective._

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><p><em>Helge's Journal Observations, Passage No. 2:<em>

_Very rarely is a Spøkelse bound by emotions besides anger, denial, and/or depression. This is completely natural, as the reactions of most human beings of their continued existence on Earth after their untimely demise can be quite... colorful, to say the least._

_However, there have been cases of Spøkelser that do not follow the same trend as the one from Ravendall. Such spirits still possess considerable power, but are substantially weaker than their common brethren, not to mention being even scarcer examples of an already rare phenomenon. _

_Historical Note: There was once an exception to the rule, the Spøkelse Walpurgisseig: A demon strong enough to induce revel in other souls, alive or not, before cannibalizing its victims. People who have been targeted were poisoned with visions of excessive bliss and bizarre imagery, as part of its misguided belief that having victims perish in delirious happiness justifies its murders. Terrorizing Europe for centuries, it was eventually destroyed by a well-learned Catholic nun._

_Incidentally, the woman was named a highly honored member of her church centuries after her death, and a holiday was named after her to commemorate the moment._

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><p>"Kristoff, please... I have to- I have to get to Elsa..."<p>

The towering mountain man, made even more imposing from supporting an additional human being on his back, glanced to his side to frown at the Princess with concern. "Absolutely not, Little Miss Energetic." Kristoff firmly stated, shaking his head for the umpteenth time since he carried her out of the library. "You're almost a wink away from being declared officially dead, which will obviously cause the Queen to freak out. The first thing we are going to do is to get some sleep in your system, pronto."

"She's already freaking out, I just know it!" Anna complained, pouting with her hazy blue eyes. "As Princess of Arendelle, I command you to stop, and turn around to march for Elsa's chambers, now!"

"As the Princess' _consort_," Kristoff stated, emphasizing that last word, "I am _vetoing _that command to make sure you stay sane in the morning."

"...'Consort'." Anna parroted, too bleary to successfully glare at him. "...and 'veto'. How on Earth did you manage to add those words to your vocabulary?"

"Elsa." Kristoff declared flatly. He wasn't lying to his girlfriend, either; Elsa and the ice harvester may share an uneasy relationship between each other, but they were still on friendly speaking terms, and living under the same roof as the Queen of an entire country has provided wonders Kristoff could have never predicted in his entire life... including a basic but useful knowledge of government lingo.

"Traitor..." Anna muttered under her breath. "...But, she's still my sister! You have to take me to her!"

"Nope."

Even in the Princess' addled state, a brilliant moment of inspiration birthed in her mind taking hold of her imagination. The redhead just needed enough pluck to do so, and Anna is certainly the champion of human pluck.

"Then...I-I'll stop you!" With a grunt of effort, Anna brought forth every available ounce of strength she had remaining, putting them into focus by squirming and writhing desperately. She felt one of Kristoff's large hands give way and slip underneath her, until it could no longer secure a tight footing.

Encouraged by her boyfriend's slip-up, she rocked to and fro before lurching backwards with terrific force into the open air; finally, she was freed completely from the ice harvester's vice-like grip.

As Anna remained suspended, without anyone or anything to support her, without a surface to be chained to, the Princess felt a surge of complete bliss. No rules to follow, just a rush of adrenaline... She knew that, at this very moment, she was learning what it meant to be able to fly...

Of course, that sort of feeling never lasted long enough to be appreciated; the redhead hit the hallway floor with a dull thud almost immediately, followed clumsily by the rest of her body. A nauseating wave of pain pulsated from the impact site, urging Anna to clutch at her shoulder instinctively and curl on the floor.

However, what lack of grace Anna possessed was made up twofold with pure moxie; she quickly ignored the desire to nurse her minor injury, instead opting to lie flat on the ground as if her "escape" was intentional. In front of her boyfriend, she put her hands behind her head, extended her elbows outwards, and crossed her legs casually. In her mind, Anna looked like the pinnacle of calm, collected disobedience.

"H-ha!" she boasted a little feebly, trying to ignore just how _itchy_ the carpet floor felt against her back. "I-I've now made it too difficult for you to carry me all the way to my quarters! Now will you take me to see Elsa?"

Kristoff, unfazed by her efforts, jabbed a thumb behind him at an all-too familiar doorway. "Anna, it's no use; we are already right in front of your bedroom."

The last of Anna's fighting spirit extinguished in complete disappointment. "Oh..."

A great silhouette descended upon Anna, with gentle hands that rested themselves underneath her. She felt herself being lifted up in the air carefully and with ease, once again feeling like she was soaring in the air.

Despite still wanting to contact her older sister, the redhead couldn't help but feel just a tad giddy in Kristoff's arms; being lifted into a bridal carry reminded her of the dreams she would always have as a little girl, the ones that appeared after reading a quiet night's worth of fairy tales, about noble and valiant princes who could take her away from her stuffy old castle to a promise of freedom, fun, and company.

Of course, she'd never imagined as a child that the right person to eventually achieve that dream would be a rustic ice harvester instead of a prince, or that the horse was a goofy reindeer with an obsession for carrots, but Kristoff and Sven far outranked any people from romantic dreams she had by a long shot.

Kristoff smiled tenderly at the girl he carried in his arms. "Now, let's come inside, and get some nice, warm soft blankets over you. You'll have plenty of time to run around and take care of Elsa when the sun finally rises."

"Blankets... sun..." Anna groaned, too tired to move.

"There you are." Kristoff gently pushed Anna's bedroom door opened, coming face to face with the typical disastrous state, characteristic of the Princess; some stray ribbons here, pieces of fabric and clothes there, and whatever trinkets she'd been playing with Olaf whenever the snowman visited laid all over the ground.

One of those said trinkets squeaked underneath Kristoff foot. He looked down over Anna's relaxed body, surprising himself by seeing a smiling, fair-haired doll in a blue dress. For some reason, the little toy bore a striking resemblance to its owner's sister, Elsa.

_Huh. Do girls still hold onto their dolls at Anna's age?_

It didn't take long for Kristoff to finally tuck Anna in; she finally submitted herself to a deep and comfortable slumber. If it weren't for the fact that she snored like chunks of ice grinding against each other, the Princess was officially as limp as a dead fish.

"Finally..." Kristoff breathed. He heaved a massive and exhausted sigh, and slumped to the littered floor while resting his back against Anna's mattress. The idea of just sleeping right then and there suddenly became very appealing to him: Going to his bedroom just sounded like too much trouble, and Anna's room was too warm and smelled too nice to abandon...

"Anna... you really are something, aren't you?" Kristoff said to a still-dozing Princess. He chuckled quietly, remembering exactly what took Anna so long to finally pass out in the first place. Sometimes, monarchs really do have everything in the world. "Elsa's lucky to have such a devoted sister such as you-"

Lithe, but strong hands clamped down hard on Kristoff's broad shoulders, eliciting a gasp of surprise from the ice harvester. He whipped his head behind him instinctively, and gawked as he found himself facing a fully alert, fiery Anna. The Princess stared back at her boyfriend with eyes blazing in cerulean fire that clashed wildly against her flaming hair.

"I know!" Anna shouted excitedly, grinning brightly enough to start an early morning in Arendelle. "How about you help Elsa instead?"

"M-me?" Kristoff stammered, intimidated by Anna's second wind.

Anna nodded her head earnestly. "She really, really needs some support right now! If I can't get outta this bed, at least I can trust you to help Elsa instead! It's brilliant!"

"Wait, what? No, I'm not going to end up a frozen ice cube just because she is your sister!"

"Isn't she your friend?" Anna whined, her eyelids starting to buckle as she spoke.

Kristoff scratched the back of his increasingly heated neck in embarrassment. "Well, yeah," he admitted, "but Elsa and I never face each other on purpose without-"

"Thank you so much..." Anna mumbled appreciatively, not at all paying heed to her boyfriend's protests. Her mouth opened wide into an impressive maw of a yawn as she fought to say her last words for the night.

"I love you..." At last, she slipped back within the security of her sheets, snoring away as loudly and soundly as if she had been sleeping for hours.

"-Without you nearby." Kristoff finished. The mountain man stared lamely at the dozing Princess, who now seemed to be positively reveling in her opportunity to go to dreamland. "Of course," he muttered in frustration. "Of course I have to be the one to help you, of course I have to be roped into your crazy and half-baked scenes, of course I have to end up dancing closer to death than any sane person has the right to because you're the Princess..."

Anna only snorted unconsciously in response.

"...and you're still worth all of the trouble, you lunatic." Kristoff ended, smiling in spite of everything he complained about. It's been three weeks since he first stumbled into Anna's path, dragging Kristoff into a world populated by people he always tried to avoid his entire life, yet he never pined for the days before ever since.

The ice harvester stood up from his cramped posture to stretch out of a yawn, and bent over to plant his lips on the Princess' brow. "I love you too, Anna..." he whispered.

Either the words or the kiss managed to seep through to the redhead's dreams, because the girl's lips widened into a lazy smile, and her face flushed warmly, the color mixing well with the smattering of freckles on her cheeks.

Now, Kristoff _really _didn't want to leave Anna's room.

"Is everything all right?"

Kristoff turned his head around to see Gerda standing by the doorway, her face incredibly pale even in the darkness of the night. She looked rigid and petrified, as if she had seen a ghost that threatened to haunt her for eternity. Even so, she delicately held a mug of hot chocolate that still steamed, and a slice of plump chocolate cake that glistened slightly in its appetizing allure.

"You're still carrying those around, Miss Gerda?" Kristoff asked bemusedly.

"They're Her Majesty's..." Gerda responded quietly. "I couldn't bear just to throw them away..."

_These guys truly are that incredibly loyal to their Queen, huh?_ Kristoff thought to himself. He couldn't help but snort ruefully, slightly jealous of the Snow Queen. _Man, what I'd give to have their support when I was a kid..._

But that's not important anymore. Kristoff made a new life back then, living alongside his loving family of trolls. It only got better as an adult, now that the ice harvester was surrounded by his new collection of friends, living under the same roof with woman he loved. That had to account for something, right?

_Alright, Anna. This is for you._

"Excuse me, Miss Gerda, but why don't I take those items out of your hands?"

* * *

><p><em>Please, Elsa, just go to sleep<em>…

"I-I can't!" Elsa gasped.

_Why not?_

"Just… just stop talking to me right now!" Elsa half-shouted, waving a hand to dismiss her inner voice. A futile effort. "Where is she? Where could she be?"

_Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic..._

Elsa's ice heels clacked against the floor as she paced back and forth, her calves burning tortuously for walking briskly without stopping. The Snow Queen rubbed the back of her hands nervously, ignoring the way how her room shone and glinted in the pale moonlight.

It was sufficient to say that Elsa was not in good shape. At all. She was so deep within her mental anguish, it took her nearly a minute to register that someone has been knocking on her door for just as long.

"A-Anna!?" Elsa called out hopefully, a hint of desperation coloring her voice.

The person on the other side of the door sighed audibly. "Um… no, sorry about that, Queen Elsa. It's Kristoff."

Elsa couldn't help but feel her heart sink in disappointment; she always expected Anna, with her warm heart and cheery outlook of life, to swoop in like a hero and save the day, complete with promises to hang around and have fun in the castle. Besides, the redhead had an uncanny knack for knowing whenever Elsa needed comfort.

The Queen really meant no offense to the Princess' boyfriend, but Kristoff was one of the last people Elsa expected to help in her situation. She cared for him, but they never approached each other without Anna nearby to encourage the two. Unlike the redhead, the ice harvester could be quite sour, rather dour, and at times very uncomfortable around people who wasn't the Princess.

As a matter of fact, Kristoff and Elsa probably shared too many similarities with each other, and two wrongs in that respect was not guaranteed to make a right.

"Are you alright?" the said mountain man called out worriedly. "Anna sent me to check on you!"

_You still need help, Elsa. Let him in._

_But... I may accidentally hurt him!_

_That never stopped you from hoping Anna would come inside nowadays._

"I guess I can't argue with myself..." Elsa mumbled.

"Hello? Did you say anything?"

"I-it's nothing to worry about, Kristoff." Elsa answered. She hesitated, and gulped before uttering her next words. "C-come in..."

The Queen of Arendelle couldn't bear to have the mountain man know just how deeply troubled she was, knowing that he would tell Anna straight away and cause more strife; she straightened her back and shoulders into a properly regal and rigid posture, and wore a calm and collected expression that could hopefully last for the rest of the night. As she overlapped her hands together to complete the illusion, she heard a faint thump on the door, along with an immediate grunt of mild pain.

"Of course," the man muttered from the other side. "Well, at least I didn't drop anything." The doorknob jiggled around for a bit, at first rotating very little, but making sharp crackling noises as it turned more and more freely. Chips of ice fell to the floor in droves, clinking as they hit the floor.

For some reason, the entire door was being very stubborn about remaining shut, and made probably everyone in the whole castle know by being as cacophonous as possible; when Kristoff finally used some muscle to force the door wide open, it screeched and crackled in response, angry for being subjected to this type of rough treatment.

Elsa winced at the piercing racket, and stared at the floor guiltily. She only just figured out why the door would be so difficult to force open: In her neurotic episode, the Snow Queen had unconsciously covered her entire bedroom in a thin coat of lustrous frost. Shame nearly overwhelmed her as a result, for unintentionally troubling the ice harvester when he held nothing but concern for her.

On the other hand, Kristoff saw Elsa's iced room in a more different light. When he took that one step inside, the ice harvester was rendered speechless, his eyes shining with awe rather than intimidation as he gazed in its full glamour. It occurred to him that he had never entered the Queen's chambers before, and this served as quite the first impression.

Placing whatever items he had in his hands on top of a nearby drawer, the blond man ran a finger over the glazed binding of a book laying on a nearby chair, admiring the pristine and flawless ice covering it, seemingly unaware of the anxious woman standing before him.

Several seconds passed on with the mountain man admiring more of what Elsa had done with her furniture and articles, making no progress whatsoever. Elsa had to clear her throat deliberately to remind Kristoff exactly why he entered in the first place. "Oh!" he yelped, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "Um, excuse me, Miss Elsa- no no, wait, 'Your Majesty,' whoops..."

"What do you want?" Elsa asked hastily. She slapped a hand to her mouth immediately in regret.

_Rude. Congratulations, Queen Elsa, you have just offended your sister's boyfriend with your attitude._

However, Kristoff seemed to not have caught onto her snippy tone. Instead, the man saw fit to scrutinize at a thick band of jagged shards of ice that jutted out of Elsa's bedroom walls at eye-level, extending all around in a straight line that connected at both ends, forming a crystalline ring. Elsa could just see the gears shift within the ice harvester's head as his brows furrowed, the obvious conclusion dawning upon him.

"This stretch of ice..." he remarked, sliding a finger over a frosted prism. His breath came out in thick puffs of steam. "You have been holding yourself in the entire time, haven't you?"

Elsa's left eye twitched, but the composure she had built up was not going to crack just yet; it was about time she behaved like a proper leader for once these days, one who wouldn't break down in front of Anna's consort, and by extension Anna herself. The Queen wanted to prove to both of them that she is still a strong leader, entirely capable of handling herself.

_Which, of course, is just a big fat fib you keep telling yourself, Elsa._ A spurt of snapping, crystalline petals from her feet cemented the statement further.

"Uh... Elsa, I know that you just kind of let loose an ice-bomb pretty recently." Kristoff commented tentatively, staring at the newly-created ice. His entire body was painfully alert, his eyes wide and his shoulders raised; tt was quite obvious that the mountain man was doubtful on whether the Snow Queen was safe to be around or not. "Should I watch my step, hold my tongue, go away, or something...?"

That second-to-last option sounded very appealing to Elsa, but she didn't want to appear any more discourteous than she had already been. "It's alright, Kristoff, it's all over now." she assured, forcing a smile on her face. "I will have this mess cleaned up soon enough."

Kristoff shoulders lowered slightly in relief, but he remained uneasy. This interaction between them was filled with far too many blunders to his liking, and the freezing cold of Elsa's room only made the frigid air between the two worse. To distract himself, he returned to surveying her room like a patron in an art gallery, exhaling a long, smoky breath as he monitored Elsa's bookshelf.

"Strange," the ice harvester remarked absentmindedly, "this place is totally different from Anna's, no question about it. Little Miss Feistypants' bedroom looked as if she had opened her windows to invite a howling storm inside, and I'm frankly certain she had done that on more than one occasion..."

He moved his attention to a nearby tabletop, which was decorated with only a few neatly arranged articles and candlesticks, including a vase of flowers coated in opalescent frost. "Compared to hers, this place is almost surgically neat..."

The man's eyes snapped wide opened in alarm, as it struck him that he was speaking his thoughts out loud in front of the Queen of Arendelle as if she wasn't there, who also happened to be his girlfriend's _sister_ for crying out loud.

"I-I mean," he hastily amended, waving his hands in front of him defensively, "it's not like I'm _that _familiar with Anna's room and her habits- no, wait, we just spend a lot of time together..." Kristoff slapped himself in the forehead. "Oh boy, I'm just digging myself deeper, aren't I?"

Elsa couldn't help but place a hand over her mouth, giggling at the ice harvester's special way with words. "If what you are trying to say is that I am much neater than my sister, then thank you very much." she said appreciatively.

"Oh, alright then..." Kristoff looked around in confusion, wondering how was he supposed to do Anna's job of comforting her sister: Not only was he completely different from the warm and optimistic Anna, he was also a man raised by people who were decidedly inhuman, and a bit of a knobhead to boot; Sven had always delighted in pointing that particular trait with relish, the rascal.

Well, he at least made Elsa laugh at him. That ought to register as a start.

"You must be exhausted, Kristoff." the Queen commented. "Would you like me to give you a seat?"

"Uh, that's alright. I'll just grab one for myself, thank you." His eyes darted around for a suitable chair, finding one leaning against the wall. Naturally, it required a bit of brute force to wrench from its frozen spot. He planted it in front of Elsa's desk, and gestured towards the nearby drawer as he sat. "You must be hungry, Elsa."

As if the world had been conspiring against Elsa for this very moment, her stomach growled loudly and enthusiastically before she could refuse him, unnecessarily confirming Kristoff's statement. Even as Elsa's face shifted to a complete shade of mortified scarlet, she knew there was truth in the mountain man's words; unlike Kristoff or Anna, the Queen had not eaten anything since she had returned to the castle.

"I guess- I guess I'll have a late night snack then." Elsa suggested to a beaming Kristoff. "Thank you."

Elsa walked over to the wooden surface, and gasped to see the chocolate cake and the hot cocoa from the Royal Library waiting for her. She clasped her hand around the mug, which still steamed in the chilled air, and felt its heat tingling through her fingertips and up her arm pleasantly.

A single sip was all it took for Elsa to enter a state of pure bliss; the creamy and sweet liquid flowed down Elsa's throat, filling her entire mouth and nose with its heavenly aroma, before settling in her belly delightedly. Already, she felt could it rich warmth bolstering her, lightening her mood several times over.

"It's delicious... I'd have to remember to commend Gerda for this!" Elsa blurted excitedly, her face positively glowing. She rushed over to her desk with cake and drink on hand, sitting down as she took another sip from the mug with a smile. No longer did she fret about looming threats, or the pressures of being around people; for the first time since night has fallen, Queen Elsa had fully returned to her usual self.

Kristoff grinned at Elsa, knowing that his mission was accomplished. After all, he did what Anna wanted him to do all along; he finished cheering her sister out of her funk, and he didn't even have to worry about being frosted down to his toes!

Even so, a nagging thought skittered through the back of Kristoff's mind like a stubborn parasite that would never leave. The Queen still looked so removed, so forlorn in spite of her happier outlook. Smiling brightly had somehow only revealed the features that would have sent a doctor into a panic attack: Elsa widened eyes were intensely reddened, and the puffy and shadowed bags beneath them could have applied for genuine bruises. Not only that, but she twitched involuntarily throughout her entire body from weakened muscles, convulsing at random intervals.

"Elsa..." Kristoff said with suspicion. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

Elsa stared at the ice harvester, and choked on her words slightly before sighing in defeat. "I... I can't sleep." she disclosed apologetically. "I tried for at least an hour now, but there was nothing I could do to help."

Kristoff nodded his head slowly, hardly surprised by her response; if he knew Elsa even half as well as Anna does, he could still tell that the combined stress of being a Queen, being a good sister, and, well... pretty much _everything_ that happened in the last twenty-four hours, was getting to her.

"I see... You've been thinking about a lot, haven't you? Ghosts, Ravendall, sibling relationships, that sort of thing?"

Elsa averted her blue eyes away from the ice harvester, saying not a single word.

Honestly, Kristoff wished he could muster up the will to stand up from his chair, and leave Elsa's room while she was still amicable enough. He didn't know exactly how Anna exercised her own brand of magic on everyone around her with her personality, how she was able to coerce someone like Kristoff into becoming more friendly and polite to others, how she was not afraid of Elsa suffering another meltdown and releasing her ice magic in stunningly beautiful yet terrifying ways, like an unpredictable force of nature.

Yes, Kristoff had already done what he was asked for. So... what was his reason for staying, shivering in his summer clothes in this unnatural cold?

_At least I can trust you to help Elsa instead!_

_Isn't she your friend?_

" Your Majesty-" Kristoff began.

"Please, for the last time, you have no need for any formalities around me." The air grew in several degrees in temperature as she smiled.

The corners of the mountain man's mouth curved just a hint upwards; with Elsa now back in her default state, Kristoff finally felt that he was walking on familiar, safe territory in this conversation. "How could I help so you can finally get a good night's sleep?"

Queen Elsa blinked at him in astonishment. "You'd really do that, for me?" she asked, pointing at herself with a finger. She raised her hands to fidget with her sparkling braid, blushing furiously. "I-I don't want to trouble you, Kristoff. You need your own rest, after all."

"Anna gave me a direct order as Princess of Arendelle to help you in any way I can tonight." Kristoff contended, smirking vindictively. "Are you going to deny the requests of your very own sister?"

Elsa glanced to her side, muttering something dark underneath her breath; Kristoff could only pick up Anna's name in the middle of the Queen's mumbling. _Probably a mild curse_, the mountain man guessed cheerfully.

Elsa sucked in a deep breath through her nose to compose herself, nodding once in acknowledgement. "Okay, Kristoff... can you-" she cleared her throat and avoided his eyes, "-can you help me find something, then? I've been looking for it ever since I came back to my room."

The ice harvester tried to appear relaxed by nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders. "Sure, I can do that. Just what am I looking for, exactly?"

Elsa pursed her lips, somewhat regretting her request for assistance to the ice harvester. "It's small enough to fit in your hands, and is probably covered in a shell of frost."

Kristoff tilted his head at her. "I see," he answered dryly. "That would probably knock off most of your furniture as possible choices. Would you care to be more specific?"

The two stared at each other in awkward silence. "I-I'm sorry," Kristoff quickly admitted, "my mouth just kind of went into auto-pilot right there..."

"Me too," said Elsa. "It's been a long day for the both of us. Look, I'll have this room sorted out to help you out." With a single flourish of her lithe fingers, the wooden top of her desk gave off an ambient glow that disintegrated into wisps of ice as numerous as the stars. They balled into sizable snowflakes, before vanishing into nothingness.

It took all of Kristoff's willpower not to gawk at the magic and forget to breathe. "Okay then... Can you at least give me a hint?" he asked.

Elsa appeared to be so absorbed in lifting the ice out of her bedroom objects with every wave of her hand, Kristoff initially thought she refused to answer the mountain man's question entirely. It took nearly a minute of scratching his head and picking up blatantly wrong items (including a romance novel just to rib the Queen) when Elsa finally gave in. "It's... it's a children's toy. A dolly." she confessed.

_Ah... no wonder she's so touchy about the subject._

Kristoff tried his best to grin at Elsa without appearing insulting, an act that has had practice for over three weeks thanks to having one of the goofiest girlfriends in human history. "Let me guess... It has red hair, and most likely wears a green dress, no?"

"Wh-... How on Earth did you come to that conclusion?" Elsa sputtered defensively.

"You don't have anything to be embarrassed about, Elsa." The ice harvester's memory rewound several minutes earlier, when he was still dragging a half-dead, full-spirited redhead to her bedroom. "I'm not going to call you childish because you keep dolls at your age. Besides, Anna has one that looks surprisingly like you in her room as well."

"She... she still has it with her?"

Kristoff nodded his head. "Well, yeah." He bent over at a corner of the room to observe stacks of papers, each printed with more words than a drawn-sled registration file and an overly prose-filled book put together. "What are these, by the way?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Oh, that?" Elsa asked, finishing off the last sheet of ice covering the floors. "Just try not to knock them over; they're finished government documents. I uh... It was the first thing I tried to tire myself out. I ended up finishing about a week's quota of work."

Unlike Anna, Elsa was the kind of person to find some sort of sick enjoyment in slaving away on government requests and formalities for hours on end, much to her little sister's consternation. As a matter of fact, Elsa saw her work as a source of stability, one of the few things in her life that she could easily manage (yes, even including the unruly ambassadors and surprise meetings) just by applying her years of training, without fearing anything spiraling out of control like her powers occasionally did. Now that she no longer had any papers to take her mind off from her troubles...

Kristoff, being an ice harvester and not a monarch with phenomenal cosmic powers, was unaware of that detail, merely whistling low out of a mix of respect and slight apprehension. "Heh, at least you can take quite some time off to enjoy yourself, right?"

When no one chose to answer his question, Kristoff turned his head, alarmed to see that Elsa had left her desk to sit despondently on her bed, surrounded by idle snowflakes, and laid the untouched chocolate cake next to her as she stared off at the distance.

_...I guess I'll just keep my mouth shut for now, then._

On the bright side, the ice harvester finally found the dolly Elsa had been searching for soon afterwards; the toy had comfortably tucked itself away in the darkness between two adjacent bookshelves. It looked exactly as he had expected it; red hair bound in pigtails, a smiling face with blush stickers, and a little green dress that bore a resemblance to his girlfriend. A hint of frost clung to the fabric, giving it a gentle white sheen.

"Well well, look at what we have here, hiding for all this time?" Kristoff joked, bouncing the toy in his large hands for Elsa to see. He held the doll by its little arms, flicking it back and forth so its legs flailed in a lively jig. "She's pretty cute." he chortled. "What's her name?"

Elsa giggled at the red-haired doll dancing in Kristoff's hands. "I don't think her name should be mentioned..."

"Aw, come on..." Kristoff drawled.

"Okay, okay!" Elsa huffed a short breath, blushing a little. "I've always considered her... well, my little Anna."

"'Anna'?" Kristoff grinned. "Not the one for creative naming much, I see."

"That's rich, coming from the man who named his reindeer 'Sven'." Elsa shot back.

The man raised his hands in a surrendering gesture. "Alright, you got me there. To tell you the truth, I don't think I could find a name more fitting anyway for this doll anyway." Kristoff complimented. With that said, he passed it to the Queen, and sat besides her on the bedroom mattress.

Elsa welcomed the doll with open arms, rubbing its cheeks lightly with her thumbs as she cradled it in her hands. Her face positively glowed, the straining muscles in her face and body relaxing for the first time in hours.

However, the smile that she had been wearing for so long now shattered upon inspecting it closely; in the pale moonlight of the night, the frost covering parts of the toy was accentuated, bearing an uncanny resemblance to... her baby sister, suffering a frozen curse placed on her heart.

The Snow Queen choked, her breaths becoming shallow as she wiped her fingers on the frost in a frantic attempt to melt it away. The ice only grew in response, crawling its way through the rest of the doll's body like spider webs, birthing crystals that spread outwards as unwanted growths.

_I'm hurting her! What was I doing, I'm hurting her!_

The panic attack did not go unnoticed by Kristoff; taking a page out of Anna's book, he firmly grasped Elsa by her pale shoulders, forcing the platinum blonde to look straight at him. He found himself staring into Elsa's widened blue eyes, which were filled with such fear and self-loathing that all but screamed, _Please, leave me be!_

For just one second, the ice harvester was tempted to comply, to release her and leave her alone out of pity. He could even end up frozen if he stayed any longer.

But... That would be the easy way out. Letting Elsa go would only be a self-serving act; it wouldn't solve anything, and it would certainly do nothing but leave her all the worse for the wear. Why would he choose such a petty choice for something like _that_? She needed help now, and she's going to get it, whether or not both parties were willing.

So instead, he only stared harder into those fearful blue eyes, ignoring the wind that was beginning to pick up in speed and bite at his cheeks. "Elsa," he whispered, "just focus onto me, and stop paying attention to anything else. You'll be fine, Elsa. Anna is safe, and you are not going to freeze someone anytime soon."

"I'll... I'll be fine...?"

"Yes, yes you will, Elsa. Just take a deep breath, and relax..."

Elsa followed the ice harvester's instructions, piecing her mind back together as she listened to him. He was no Anna, but his presence and determination was most assuring to the Snow Queen during her breakdown.

"You're doing alright, just keep going..." his voice continued.

_She's safe... I'm safe... She's safe... _Elsa repeated in her head.

After enough time, with the freezing wind dying down, she remembered that she was just enjoying a conversation between Kristoff and herself earlier, and that he found the doll for her; it still rested in her hands, smiling as if Elsa never did anything wrong to it, as if Elsa never did anything wrong to the sister it was based on.

It didn't take too long afterwards for Elsa to finally thaw the little figure, removing all traces of ice as if they never appeared. Finishing the deed, she hugged the doll between her arms, and returned to staring dejectedly at the other side of the room.

Kristoff sagged backwards onto the mattress once the coast was clear, exhausted and drained. His heart drummed incessantly, threatening to burst out of his chest and run off to flee for its life. _Well, can't really say I wasn't expecting this to happen at some point... Anna made it look so easy._ he reflected.

Next to him, Elsa rested the little Anna doll next to her, so it sat nearby the plate of chocolate cake.

"What would my life be... if I was never born with my magic?" Elsa asked wistfully to the empty air, returning her head to the direction she was facing.

Out of curiosity, the ice harvester followed Elsa's gaze to a large portrait hung up on the wall, one painted in the image of a mustached man with sharp facial features, broad shoulders, and expensive-looking garments. He wore a crown on top of his finely groomed hair, and held a golden orb and scepter in his strong hands. Even as a simple painting, the man breathed of royal authority.

This person was no stranger to the mountain man; Kristoff had seen that man several times before in the Palace galleries, and even once in a vague memory thirteen years past: He could only be Anna and Elsa's late father, the previous King of Arendelle.

If memory served correctly, it was because of the King that Elsa was forced to hide her powers away from the rest of the world. It was because of him that Elsa couldn't be friends with Anna for thirteen agonizing years, depriving the Princess of the company she so terribly needed when the he and their mother died three years back.

It was because of this King that Anna and Elsa were left without a proper family to love.

"Well, that ain't right..." Kristoff muttered darkly.

"What?" Elsa asked, glancing sideways at him.

"That's not right." Kristoff repeated. "The fact that you hid your ice powers away for thirteen years, stuck in the castle and barred from your own sister? You and Anna deserved better than that, and now those thirteen years are just... gone. All of this pain you two have felt, all because of a single accident?

"Elsa, don't go around in denial of your powers. It doesn't matter that you've made a few mistakes with your magic, or that you've have endangered someone's life with it. Nobody is immune to accidents, even for a Queen like you." He pointed at the framed man watching the two with painted eyes. "He certainly wasn't, and he's been gone for years. It's about time you take a stand and walk on your own two feet, without relying on him for advice."

Seconds ticked by in stunned silence...

Kristoff's eyes slowly widened with horror. Him and his fat and blunt mouth! What exactly was he doing, imposing his personal opinions on a freaking _Queen?_ Seeing Elsa gape at him, taken aback by his sudden outburst, only served to make the mountain man curse himself even further.

"Ah geez, just- just forget about everything I've said, Elsa! I-I kind of went into a rant there..." Kristoff slapped himself in the forehead moaning: "Who am I kidding, It's not like I can do better. I've already heard the story from Grand Pabbie several times before, and Anna helped fill in the gaps about your family's relationship."

Elsa continued to stare at the ice harvester with her icy blue eyes, their color disturbing him by being so uncannily similar to Anna's. Kristoff swallowed nervously. "F-from what I could tell, while you and Anna never had a happy childhood, at least your mom and dad loved you two very much, and only wanted what was best for everyone."

The mountain man sighed, praying with all of his might that he may survive the night before he digs himself even further. "I apologize for... pretty much everything that just spewed from my mouth," he confessed, "I have no right to blame your dad like that..."

"No no, it's alright Kristoff," Elsa hastily assured, "I'm glad that you're so concerned for me, I truly am!"

"Well, you are Anna's sister, after all." Kristoff added. He looked back at the portrait, finding the fire within him dying down a little, giving his head some space to think rationally. "Truth be told, I guess I was being so riled up, because I'm slightly jealous of you..."

Elsa's dark brows furrowed in confusion. "Wait, what are you talking about?"

"I mean, you have people who will always be there to love and stay true to you in every day of your life: Your parents, your people, and most especially Anna. No one can compare with that much loyalty, not even the guys back at that Valley! That's not even mentioning your incredible powers!" the ice harvester exclaimed.

"…Even if you could accidentally hurt your loved ones?" Elsa countered softly. "Even if people would become scared of you, and possibly hurt you for being different?"

Kristoff snorted. "Lady, I've always been a bit of a loner with tendency to find myself in bad situations, and I'd lived with a family of trolls for the majority of my life. I don't even think they would be nearly as bothered by ice, being made of stone and thick skulls, after all. Heck, I also have Sven, who would know what to do should I theoretically go 'overboard.'"

Kristoff looked up to the ceiling, crossing his arms and pointed shoes in thought. "Until I've met your sister, I would have been perfectly happy to be all by myself, harvesting ice every day for the rest of my life. Three weeks ago, I would have told you, with complete honesty, that your magic had absolutely no drawbacks whatsoever."

Elsa blinked at the ice harvester, and reached for the plate of chocolate cake sitting beside her. Gently placing it on her lap, she stabbed the slice with a fork to separate a piece, and brought it to her mouth, chewing slowly and deliberately without saying a word.

As she ate in silence, a plan was beginning to formulate slowly within the ice harvester's mind, something that may ease the tension between the two for one last time. He was not entirely sure what was he going to push for, but this was worth a shot.

"Um... do you want start all of this over and talk about stuff, even for a bit?" Kristoff inquired.

Elsa swallowed her food, looking at Kristoff with a withered expression. There seemed to be a sort of debate raging on behind her cerulean eyes, no doubt on whether or not it was wise for her to comply. She wasn't alone, either; Kristoff was already having second thoughts on this plan as well.

"...I promise that I will respect whatever decision you come up with you. I'm not going to judge." Kristoff added.

Finally, The Queen nodded slowly, gesturing him to carry on.

"Okay..." _Kristoff, how about you start slow... _"What is it like ever since you reunited with Anna?"

Elsa smiled fondly at the mention of the redhead's name, her face taking on a healthier glow. "I've never been better, Kristoff. Now that I could finally tell her just how much I cared without ever ignoring her, or shutting her out because of my selfishness and cowardice, I was finally able to get a grip on my powers." She raised a hand to flex her long fingers, creating little wisps of bluish light that twinkled like stars. "Whenever my ice was beginning to burst, I can finally _fix _the damages, for the first time in thirteen years. It was all thanks to Anna... and you."

"Huh?" Kristoff said dumbly.

"I've mentioned it several times before in the past three weeks; I cannot forget the sacrifices you've made to keep my baby sister safe, neither could I dismiss the happiness that you have provided her. It was thanks to your courage and generosity that Anna is now the luckiest girl in Arendelle, Kristoff Bjorgman."

Kristoff's face flushed out of pride and embarrassment, but his mind remained fixed on what needs to be done. He must address the elephant in the room, knowing it would upset the now content Elsa, or else these freezing episodes that keep popping up will continue to occur, with results that could be increasingly risky. He couldn't let Anna's sister hurt anyone else again, most especially herself.

The King's watchful eyes remained staring at the ice harvester, seemingly encouraging him to push forward.

_Now, get ready to prepare a living will..._ "Elsa, how do you feel about your parents?"

Upon the mere mention of the word "parents," the temperature in the room plummeted several degrees in temperature, brought forth by breezes that should never be as ice-cold as they were. The mountain man was more than ready to panic in response, cringing at the sudden chill nipping at him, but he remained seated to the mattress.

Next to him, Elsa bit her bottom lip, deciding on how she should proceed.

In truth, Elsa wasn't sure if she had fully settled her own feelings with her parents, given how poorly she would react whenever they crossed. She wasn't sure why; Elsa could never hold anything against them, in spite of all the pain their decisions have brought to both her and Anna. They still loved her, giving the platinum blonde support whenever they could, as well as everything she needed to become the ruler Arendelle needed: How to negotiate, how to plan around the field of politics, how to maintain her composure in adversity... besides the icing problem, of course.

_So... What's making you fear your own parents?_

Under Kristoff's patient eyes, Elsa drew to a conclusion with surprising speed. "I-... I miss them. I miss Mother and Father so much..." Elsa raised a hand to her head to massage her temple lightly. "The day they left on that trip... the only thing I felt I was able to do was to see them out of the Palace doors, so I could at least say farewell to them. I couldn't bring myself to hug them like Anna probably did, in case if I would accidentally freeze them..."

Kristoff nodded gravely. "Anna told me what happened that day."

"Then you would also remember that there was a funeral held for them. Almost everyone in the kingdom came to pay their respects; Anna, Kai, Gerda, the townspeople... Everyone attended, except me. I held myself back, staying inside the lonely castle so I couldn't see anyone's faces, or potentially freeze someone because I was so distressed. I tried justifying my actions, telling myself that I could hurt someone if I stepped outside the castle for the first time in years, and that people would hunt me down for being a monster, a danger to my very own people...

"Of course, I merely took the coward's path, not even owning up to myself to at least stand next to Anna when she needed me most. I couldn't even tell her the truth about why I pushed myself away from her life, even after Mama and Papa were gone!" Elsa lowered her eyes, stricken with grief. "Instead, I hid in my bedroom as I had always done, lost and confused because I no longer had my parents to guide me..."

"Surely, that no longer applies now that you understood how to control you powers with love, right Elsa?" Kristoff commented.

Some of the miring heaviness faded away from Elsa's features, although she continued to look incredibly despondent. "Well... a week after the Thaw, Anna took me out in a picnic to visit our parents, so I could finally say goodbye once and for all. Truth be told, the experience wasn't as bad as I had predicted; Anna and I ate, read each other stories that we brought from our rooms, enjoyed each other's company, and even wrote little poems to read to... them."

Elsa waved an arm to gesture at the small specks of snow that still littered the bed chambers. "Coming there really helped me a lot, but I haven't fully coped yet, evidently." She turned to face the ice harvester, her voice sad and sympathetic. "Anna mentioned that you were an orphan too. Was it difficult for you as well? About your parents?"

Kristoff grunted. "I wouldn't know, because I hardly remembered them."

Elsa, stunned by this information, stuffed her face hastily with chocolate cake to prevent herself from offending Kristoff further with errant comments or uncomfortable stares.

"I guess if I tried really, really hard, I could recollect a few details about them, like maybe a smile or two... but it has been so long ago." Kristoff admitted. "I can't even remember which parent gave me the Sami sash that I wear during ice harvesting trips."

"So... how did you-"

"I was placed in an orphanage for a couple of years, maybe more." Kristoff's brown eyes hardened as he brought up old, painful memories. "Never really fitted in with anyone else; even as I asked for friendship, all of the kids teased me about everything; my hair, my apparent stupidity, the smell of my clothing, and even my feet."

To prove his point, he briefly lifted a leg to reveal his shoes with the upward-curling toes. "The adults were hardly of any use either, given that they were at a total loss for what to do with me; I stopped trying to make friends, and grew a distaste for people altogether. I even gave up on finding new parents.

"Eventually, it was too much for me to handle, and I ran away without ever looking back. Frankly, it was one of my proudest moments in my life, and I've never regretted it."

"Oh..." Something tugged at the back of Elsa's mind. "But, didn't you said that you were adopted by the trolls at the age of eight..."

"Yeah, about that... I spent those days in-between as a drifter, following ice harvesters while they worked. They were absolutely terrible role models to be honest, but they took me in without much questioning, teaching me their trade. I was perfectly fine with that; I could at least remember my parents being ice harvesters, and working with those men was how I eventually met Sven."

Kristoff smiled briefly in nostalgia oh his first meeting with his goofy best friend. "The big guy taught me how to be friendlier to others, at least to the necessary extent. He brought a joy to my life that working a dream job could never match.

"Unfortunately though, ice harvesting was a harsh occupation; we were always on the move, with hardly enough money to spare between the two of us, until I was finally taken in by that crazy, overbearing, and absolutely wonderful Bulda, and the rest of her troll clan."

The Queen and the ice harvester sat in silence, with the platinum blonde deep in thought. After some deliberation, Elsa hesitantly rested a cool hand on Kristoff's broad shoulder, patting it gently. "Three weeks, and I've never knew how harsh your past was... I must be a terrible excuse of a friend to you, Kristoff."

"Oh no, not at all! I'm actually glad you consider me as a friend in the first place!"

Elsa ignored the mountain man's protests, smiling warmly at him as the bedroom's temperature finally returning to summer normalcy. "It is rewarding to know that even so, you have been raised well by your adoptive family, being so well-adjusted and loving compared to ones like mine..."

"Hm?"

"I've seen how you'd interacted with Helge today. Despite your tendency to engage in fights with the little guy, all of that bickering never amounted to anything besides simple laughs; you two trusted each other enough that you don't have to worry about hurting him, like actual siblings should. I trust that the same applies to all of those trolls back at Helge's home."

Kristoff grinned at Elsa, pleasantly surprised that Anna's older sister had such a positive view on him. "Thanks, but that's nothing at all. Don't you have something similar with Anna?"

Elsa's smile stiffened in place, followed along by the rest of her body. The Queen became visibly conflicted, her eyes wincing as if she was being angrily shouted at. She began picking at her fingernails, their edges clicking against each other in the ensuing silence.

"...I don't have a happy, healthy sisterly relationship with Anna at all." Elsa mumbled bitterly. "I'm supposed to be her older sister. I should feel free to tease her and joke around whenever I wish, without feeling guilty or fearing I will reject her once more. I should be the one holding her hand her when she's afraid or facing tough obstacles in her life, because I would know best how to fix them.

"Instead, Anna has to tend to me every time I felt I have done something terrible, every time my powers start going out of control again!" Elsa turned to Kristoff, looking into his alarmed eyes with desperate intensity. "_I _should be the one protecting my baby sister, not the other way around! Even after we can _finally_ tell each other 'I love you', after _years _of painful silence, I've done nothing but inconvenience her because she chose to be my keeper!"

Kristoff watched the Queen sadly as she covered her face with her hands, leaning downwards in silent anguish.

Frankly, Elsa was right about Anna being her mediator; until the Royal Visit yesterday plus Kristoff's conscription into the Save-Elsa-Service, Anna had been there for each and every one of Elsa's big-time major meltdowns, the kinds that could have frozen over the entire castle if left unattended. In a sense, Anna was the responsible part of the duo that does not involve business or politics: Everyday life, in other words.

Seriously, the redhead must have some kind of sister sense for this kind of job, because she was always able to placate the Snow Queen from her deepest funks just by being her gentle and sunny self, returning everything to normal as quickly as the enchanted snow began appearing. The ice harvester, by contrast, was barely keeping Elsa together, and he had been inside her bedroom for more than half an hour.

_Stick to the plan._

"Elsa..." Kristoff began. "Look, I understand how you feel about me and Helge, but that's just one relationship; you don't know how I would behave around Cliff, Dagny, Jens, Gunvor, or any of those other people that I consider as part of the family." He patted the Queen on the shoulder, prompting her to glance through her hands at him. "I just treat Helge like I do because that's how it works between us. With those other guys, it's different; sometimes I have to be the one to force the trolls to clean themselves despite being younger by decades, and other times they were the ones babying me and force-feeding me crystals and unnecessary love advice.

"The point I'm trying to say is this; there are no set rules for being a sibling. Anna has never complained about being the one looking out for you, and I know for certain that you are at your happiest whenever she's around." The ice harvester shrugged. "I can't tell you how to be your ideal older sister, Elsa. You're just going to have to figure that out between you and her. It's your choice to make."

Elsa didn't exactly smile, or stopped looking so upset with herself. However, there was a faint glimmer in those blue eyes, mirroring those of Anna's for just the briefest of seconds, which resembled something like hope.

_Alright, Kristoff, it's time to make the Princess proud._ "If you would like, I can provide you some actual examples right now."

"Really?" Elsa asked.

"Yep. Helge isn't the only other adoptive brother I have inside this castle, you know. In the excitement of this night, I've completely forgotten to sing Sven his nightly lullabies. You can come along with me if you wish, and watch while I botch my lyrics along with the world's greatest reindeer singer."

Elsa giggled as Kristoff made his offer, which was a promising sign. Even more promising was when the Queen tucked the smiling Anna doll into her bed, allowing it to rest snugly in those soft pillows, and placed her empty plate onto her wooden desktop with a clink of porcelain.

"So... do you accept my offer?"

Elsa nodded her head in agreement, her eyes crinkling with laughter. "I'll gladly come, since you asked so nicely to me."

"That's the spirit." Kristoff responded, grinning as he stood up from the mattress. "Ladies first."

Elsa tilted her head at the ice harvester in curiosity, but turned around to exit the bedroom with a swish of her icy blue cape.

Because her back was facing Kristoff, Elsa didn't see the mountain man quickly flip one of the redheaded doll's plush hands out of the sheets and high above its head, making it appear as if was cheerfully waving farewell and good luck to the both of them.

* * *

><p>"crunch" "stomp" "snap"<p>

_"Filthy..."_

"crunch"

_"Irritating..."_

"stomp" "stomp"

_"Hideous, disgusting, wretched pieces of existence. Absurd, overly-willful mewling souls that had the luck to crawl from beneath the lowest, dankest stone of a choked river, and survive. These humans... never bothering to stay quiet with all of that racket, not even in death..."_

_Only the summer wind whistling past the limbs and leaves of trees answered to this figure's monologue.  
><em>

_"Quit you're incessant whining, you slaughtered squealing simpleton. You've offended me by wafting your irksome stench into my home, disturbing my peaceful slumber. I demand comeuppance."_

_Once again, the figure's words were met with only the relative silence of a forest at night._

_"Of course I cannot hurt you, you great prig. Stop talking while I'm trying to think, your words are as rancid as- oh." __The creature's purple eyes gleamed gleefully in the moonlight. "_Oh_... ohohoho..._

_"This person you bemoaned about, this 'Adam'..."_

_The figure stretched a great and muscular arm out, enclosing its thick, battle-scarred fingers fully around the bark of a nearby oak tree. With a simple grunt, the sinewy muscles within the limb contracted, tearing the wood and its deep, sprawling roots from the soil as easily as if it was harvesting a lone vegetable. _

_The figure brought the tree's crown to its tombstone teeth, grinding and mashing branches and leaves alike in rhythm before swallowing the pulp, the sound echoing like the dark rumble of thunder._

_"...I've just thought of the greatest way to insult you and your ineffectual tantrum, child." the monster divulged with contentment, spitting a loose chuck of bark to the ground. The moist projectile left an imprint several times the area of a horse's stomp, and twice as deep. _

_The tall figure grinned at its handiwork, and crunched once more on the half-bitten oak, making a crackling and popping racket as it chewed. "I'll just pound that tiny little fishing village, and all of its poor little inhabitants into the ground with my fists until there's nothing left but a scarlet patch of dirt and rubble. Then, you'll be left unable to enact on your excuse of a revenge."_

_The furious response, a series of hissing curses and further jets of ghostly miasma, only served as sweet words of encouragement to the Bergrisi. A rumbling chuckle emerged from deep within its cavernous throat, kicking loose stones from their place with its sheer amplitude alone._

So... Adam the Adventurer was last seen there, at that fjord...

Well, this ought to be _fun_.

* * *

><p><strong><span>QVMMRUVI OVV HZRW VOHZ ZMW DIVXP-RG IZOKS DLFOW NZPV Z XFGV XLFKOV.<span>**

**Confused? Here's a hint: Sir Lord Quentin Trembley III, Esq. was responsible for founding TIZERGB UZOOH.**

**Anyone who posts this translated message as a review or a PM gets... I don't know, actually. An internet cookie? A pat on the back? My research (Google Search) notes? Failed ideas? Yet another rant?**

**Eh, I'll figure something out when somebody actually responds.**

**Again, feel free to ask me any questions. I'll gladly answer all of them, e****ven uncomfortable and personal ones. It staves off the boredom.**

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen_.**


	14. Ch 14: As Long As We're Together

**For the record, this is going to be the turning point for _Have Courage, Elsa._ The angle of this story will only change a little, but it is enough to be rather noticeable. Hopefully, the shift won't be anything too drastic, because I like writing the way I've been doing lately. This work is like an antidepressant to me, and hopefully to you readers as well.**

**Oh, and to that anonymous person who sent me a review with a Bible quote attached to it, I would like to say that I'm not a spiritual or religious person, but I found it very inspiring. Thank you.**

**All rights go to the guys at Disney Animated Canon for making _Frozen _such an incredible and touching film, and credit goes to FrozenRose1 for being my beta-reader. I didn't know what I was missing until you first offered to help me.  
><span>**

**Oh, and the song below is set to the tune of Voltaire's Stuck With You. It's... not exactly family-friendly, but only because it jacks black comedy up to eleven.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 14<span>

As Long As We're Together

* * *

><p><em>Helge's Journal Observations, Passage No. 3:<em>

_"It is typical of human nature to fear and loathe what they do not see or understand."_

_This fact has been repeatedly demonstrated in history records and accounts, through wars conducted on the simplest of misunderstandings, hatred between unfamiliar cultures, deportation, slavery, persecution, alienation, and countless other examples that can and will fill this entire book._

_Having mentioned this, keep in mind that this is only relating to the fear humans have for _each other_: To be someone thrust into the world of Humans, or conversely a human thrust into the world of the supernatural, is a terrifying fate for either parties._

_Interestingly, while some cultures may start entire purges (ex. a country-wide witch hunt) upon evidence of abnormality, others are far more tolerant of magic and the fauna associated. Frequently, such societies have had greater exposure and/or involvement in the supernatural, further confirming the statement mentioned above._

_Elsa and I should probably be glad Arendelle had always seemed to be the latter._

* * *

><p>"Really? Yesterday was the first day you've been inside the Royal Stables for years?"<p>

"Well, I was never one for horseback riding like Anna was." Elsa explained to her friend. "Even as a young child, I found myself intimidated by the horses' height and bulk. The first time I tried lift my leg over one to seat myself, my foot slipped, and I fell to the ground in a mess. I felt so ashamed for ruining the little blue dress Mother gave to me, I never stepped back outdoors for a couple of days!"

Kristoff snorted in amusement. "You could only hope that it was only mud that got onto your clothes, eh?"

Elsa shot a level stare at the mountain man, and continued as if he had never mentioned anything at all. "I only lost practice as the years went by, since because of... well, you know." She raised a hand for the ice harvester to see, rubbing her fingers together to sprinkle silver flecks that glittered as they fell.

The two friends exited out of the Palace doors and into the courtyard, which was bathed in the moonlight in ways that could almost be surreal; the white glow bounced off the castle's frosted rooftops and tree-like outcroppings of ice, creating twinkling stars that dotted the landscape magnificently, all thanks to the Snow Queen's brand of sorcery. The sight was incredible, like walking right into a true winter wonderland, a cerulean fairy tale setting found in dreams...

...Well, Kristoff's dreams, in particular. The poor guy had always been a fan of the Queen's craftsmanship, and Arendelle's night sky only threw one of her displays into sharper relief. Nearly overwhelmed by the sheer majesty of the view, he dropped the large sack he had grabbed earlier from the Royal Kitchen with a thud, his mouth hanging loose and dumbstruck.

Elsa just stood by the side, waiting for the young man to finally piece his reality back together. Given that this was one of the first times they've genuinely communicated to each, the Queen had been taking the opportunity to properly evaluate Kristoff, learning more about her sister's consort with every passing minute: Outwardly, he was rather gruff and serious, sometimes uncouth, always keeping a level head in the face of Anna's inherent kookiness. Size-wise, Kristoff was a giant, a far cry from the waifish, freckled and petite Princess hopping nearby. Besides that, he was the one who would try shooting down some of the redhead's more ludicrous ideas, such as her suggestion four days ago to hold a bike race down the stairways. Anna would often pout at him during those times as a result, before running off to try her hand anyway.

In truth, Elsa had feared Anna and Kristoff would eventually fall out of each other's favor within a week, given that their personalities seemed to contrast so strongly from each other. She'd always think to herself: "What sort of common ground were the two able to hold between each other? What do they see in each other? Could this end badly like Anna's... last romance?"

But, now that she has had a proper talk with the man, Elsa found herself pleasantly surprised: Despite, or perhaps because of, his upbringing, he was incredibly intelligent and insightful, quick at comprehending unusual or troublesome circumstances without much trouble. He was loyal and trustworthy, a person you can depend on to help when you were at the end of your rope. Even as he grumbled and complained with sour comments, behind his hardened mask was a rather quirky man with a chronic desire to help others.

In other words, Elsa could finally identify why her baby sister would fall for a man.

"Were animals afraid of your powers?"

The question smashed headlong into Elsa's musing, causing her to shake her platinum-blonde head in disorientation. The mountain man stood in front of her, the sack slung over his shoulder once more.

Elsa wrinkled her nose in concentration. "I've never really thought about it, but I don't think creatures would normally hold anything against me. It wasn't like I scared any away just by being within eyesight. I even remembered riding on the back of a horse without spooking it long ago, while holding onto... to..."

_Papa._

Elsa remembered the moment. She remembered hearing the storming of multiple hooves as they pounded against the ground, the wind tearing through her hair plait and threatening to rip her right out of her seat. She remembered looking back in fear as the scenery flashed past her with blinding speed, with a trail of frost and upturned dirt following her wake. She remembered the beast she sat on rocking back and forth, causing her to bounce uncontrollably, its heaving breaths and snorts forming an entirely different monster. She also remembered holding tightly onto her father's warm waist, terrified and confused on where they were heading, what they were going to do.

But, most of all, she remembered the little girl speeding alongside with her, cradled in the arms of her mother as they rode on horseback next to them. The little streak of silver in the girl's red hair shone brightly in the darkness, a brand representing Elsa's guilt. She had hurt the little girl, causing her parents this much fear and concern. It was all because of her ice; why couldn't she control it anymore, it just keeps on forming behind her and-

"Elsa."

Even with the air screaming into her ears, Elsa found herself slowly tuning the noise out, focusing onto this strangely familiar, crystal clear voice.

"Elsa, Y'alright?"

Just like that, everything snapped into place; Elsa was back to being a fully grown woman standing outside of the Royal Palace, facing the front of the stables for the second time in a long while. Next to one of its entrances, Kristoff rested his hand on a door handle, glancing at the platinum blonde with concern.

"I'm sorry Kristoff, i-it gets a little difficult to control my mind sometimes..." Elsa pointed to herself to make winding, cuckoo motions with her finger. "It likes to take me out on a wild ride once in a while!" she feebly joked.

Kristoff's brown eyes softened with sympathy. "It's alright." he assured. "You've been through a lot, and seen a lot, all those kinds of things. It doesn't make you any less the woman for it, you know."

"Thank you, but I... I feel so ashamed of myself. Anna certainly never had these troublesome flashbacks, or at least she was strong enough not to show them." Elsa said glumly, tucking her chin in as her face twisted in humiliation. "I can hardly imagine what would happen once we finally have to confront that Spøkelse..."

Kristoff's mouth puckered upon mention of that last word. "You shouldn't be so harsh with yourself." he stated firmly. "True, Anna has dealt with her fair share of rough days, but that does not discredit or overshadow what you have been working towards to."

Elsa smiled wryly in response. "You give advice as if you had experience in consoling people, Kristoff."

"Well... I was raised for years by these crusty, old, self-proclaimed 'love experts.'" Kristoff explained, forming air-quotes with his fingers as he spoke. "Big fans of humans and their psyche, after all. They get so loud at times, it's tough not to eventually pick up a few lessons from them." With a pull, Kristoff swung the wooden doors open, flushing the outside of the stables with the warm orange glow of the lanterns installed within. The distinct scent of hay floated its way outside, finally free from the confines of its enclosed space.

Elsa recoiled slightly, wrinkling her nose at the musty smell, but cheered upon seeing a large, brown, fuzzy lump of a creature lying on top of straw bed, tapping the walls repeatedly with its enormous antlers. "Good evening, Sven."

The reindeer lifted his head up in alarm, his ears perked and swiveling in place to locate the source of the voice. Soon enough, Sven's searching brown eyes fell upon the beautiful, pale-blue figure standing outside of his chambers, and he leapt out of his slump in joy, scattering pieces of hay everywhere. Almost prancing in glee, he bolted out of the doors, knocking aside the stunned ice harvester with abandon in the process, before skidding loudly to a stop before the Snow Queen.

Not even bothering to introduce himself, the reindeer cheerfully licked Elsa's face all over, eliciting gasps and giggles from the lady. "Sven! Stop, th-that tickles!" she laughed.

"Sven, what are you doing over there, leaving me hanging?" Kristoff exclaimed, spreading his arms outwards in a welcoming gesture. "C'mere boy!"

The reindeer paused in his kisses, and glanced towards the mountain man standing all by his lonesome. Sven stared blankly at Kristoff with his brown eyes for a couple of seconds, and then pointed his muzzle upwards in a huff.

"What? Are you seriously going to play the angry game with me, Sven?"

The reindeer retorted with a harsh snort, and trotted around Elsa so he had her to separate the distance between him and his owner, nuzzling the Queen as he did so. Even as the woman smiled because of Sven's tickling nose, she could only shrug helplessly at the gawking ice harvester.

"Aw come on, Sven!" Kristoff whined, a mere step away from groveling to his knees. "Look, I'm sorry I wasn't able to hang out with you yesterday! It's just that I wasn't expecting Helge to take so long with his exposition!"

For an instant, Sven's glare seemed to soften upon hearing Kristoff's explanation. However, he quickly mended that moment of weakness by positioning his entire body behind Elsa, thinking that her lithe figure could obscure his bulk from the mountain man's view.

Kristoff stared at the two in horror, his face comically shifted into an expression of betrayal. He sighed, knowing that he had no choice but to resort to the foolproof tactic; pulling the large sack from behind him, the ice harvester lifted it up high before fishing out a single, plump carrot. The vegetable shone vividly in Kristoff's hand, contrasting the bluish and violet hues of Arendelle's outdoors.

Elsa felt something soft and warm push itself out from beneath her arms, making snuffling sounds as it twitched excitedly. Immediately guessing that Kristoff was baiting Sven into approaching him, the lady moved aside to see the reindeer allowing his tongue to loll loosely to the side, while his jaw dropped into a goofy, open-mouthed grin. He crawled forward slowly and hesitantly, digging his hooves into the ground as if Sven was struggling to resist the gravitational pull of the orange carrot.

"That's right, you come crawling back..." Kristoff muttered, waving the treat slowly in front of the tortured animal.

Finally giving in to the temptation, the reindeer rushed forward to snatch the carrot straight from the ice harvester's hand. The treat crunched noisily within Sven's cheeks as he nudged Kristoff with the side of his head affectionately, finally forgiving the mountain man for his delay.

Elsa tittered in amusement, entertained by the little comedic duo behavior Sven and Kristoff had engaged themselves in. She had just found another reason why Anna would hang around those two. "It's lovely to see that you two have finally reconciled." she remarked, laughter still etched upon her face.

Kristoff grinned back at Elsa, the corners of his mouth stretched from ear to ear. "Heh, you make that sound as if it doesn't happen between us often."

"That doesn't make it any less special of a moment."

The ice harvester pondered her words briefly. "Yeah... I guess it's not wrong to consider it true, isn't it? Hey, come inside, there's a seat waiting for you."

Complying with Kristoff's offer, Elsa poked her pale head inside the stables to search for the particular chair that he was referring to.

Much to her confusion, there was only the hard wooden and planked floor, lanterns, the snorts of neighboring horses, and the enormous bed of hay furnishing Sven's quarters.

_Well, what exactly did you expect, Elsa? Of course Kristoff would see this mound of dry grass as a perfectly nice bed, given his background._

_Hush, you._ With a bit of luck, she found a spot on the pile of hay that looked both relatively pristine, and gingerly sat herself down. Much to her surprise, the makeshift seat felt very comfortable against her backside, and she found herself relaxing as the haystack sagged underneath her weight.

"Say, Elsa... "Kristoff asked, cocking his head left and right in search of his lute. "Didn't Anna say that you are handy with an instrument yourself? A... piano, if I remember correctly?"

Elsa straightened her back primly on the haystack, raising her chin upwards in pride. "I believe you are familiar with the sonatas that would play for hours on the weekends?"

Kristoff widened his eyes in amazement. "_That _was you? Heh, three weeks of living here, and I had always assumed it was one of your professional musicians instead. Not bad, not bad at all... Now, where did I put that thing?"

He tossed aside clumps of hay in all directions, making quite the mess on the floor, before he suddenly hit himself with the heel of his hand. He rushed out of the stable doors, his heavy feet scuffling against the ground, and returned shortly with something quite impressive; cradled in his arms was a lute that reflected the lantern lights with its finish, throwing into relief several colorful bands and patterns etched into its wood. The object was nothing short of fine quality, and Elsa could not help but admire its design and artwork.

"That's a very beautiful instrument you have there." she complimented. "Tell me, was it the one Anna had brought for you in exchange for your guidance up the North Mountain?"

"Technically, she brought the lute for me in exchange for recklessly destroying my old sled, and for using my previous version as a hands-on wolf-repellent. It's the very same, though; I merely carved a little bit of my personal aesthetics into it."

"Well, I think what you have done to it is very lovely." Elsa praised.

"Anna certainly thought so." With his thick but deft fingers, the ice harvester plucked a few strings that vibrated in place, resonating with a lovely and cheery tone that combined to make a pleasantly-sounding phrase. "She even asked me to do a little work on some of her personal stuff, although I had to remind her over and over again that dyeing her clothes are out of the question."

"I see..." Elsa noted; she entered a short-lived but wild speculation on how Anna and herself would look dressed in traditional Sami garb. Maybe even Olaf could get in on the fun. After all, the Royal Family might look rather fetching in fur coats and vibrant patterns-

Nevermind. "Kristoff, I think Sven is waiting for you."

Indeed, the reindeer had returned to his hay bed and tucked himself in snugly, currently giving the other two some very irate glares. He groaned deeply and laid his head on the floor out of boredom, all but screaming with his eyes, _Will you get started already, Kristoff?_

Kristoff, having lived with this animal companion for the larger part of his life, understood Sven's irritation before Elsa had pointed it out. "Alright, alright! Sorry about keeping you waiting here, buddy, just give me a bit to warm up."

The mountain man continued to strum some notes on the lute, repeating the same phrase once... twice... multiple times over and over, well after it has devolved into redundancy. Both Elsa and Sven each raised a dark eyebrow, patiently waiting for Kristoff to finally get a move on.

"Kristoff?" Elsa asked. "Is something the matter?"

The ice harvester his lips pursed back in hesitation. "Um... do you mind if you, like, turn your back around for a bit? I've..." the mountain man's face reddened, "I've never really sang around anyone besides Anna."

Elsa came dangerously close to following Kristoff's request, empathizing deeply with his uncertainty around these types of situations, but she forced herself to stay put. Even if he did ask for it, no one should have an audience with its back turned.

"Well, you were one who invited me in the first place." Elsa replied sweetly, completely aware she was picking on the poor man with her words.

Kristoff's shoulders slumped in dour disappointment, and he brushed aside a droplet of sweat coming down his forehead. "Me and my fat mouth..." he groaned. But, the ice harvester sucked in a breath, and puffed his chest to fire himself up. "Okay... okay! I have a person who is _not_ Anna here, and that... is totally fine with me. Someone who is _not _Anna... good."

He propped the lute against himself and tapped a few beats with his shoe, knocking a regular tempo on the wood. Sven followed along, swinging his head left and right to the rhythm. "Ready Sven?" Kristoff asked to his friend.

Both the reindeer and the ice harvester leaned their heads together so they ware almost cheek-to-cheek. Naturally, Sven had no capabilities whatsoever of human speech, so Kristoff was the one who had to fix that handicap; the young man dropped his jaw, and spoke in a voice distorted to a comical level. "_Ready when you are!_" the mountain man cried in that exaggerated voice, answering his own question for the mute reindeer.

After about eight knocks, Kristoff began to pluck away at the lute, humming a tune that sounded quite lovely to the Queen's ears. The ice harvester repeated this melody twice, before finally opening his mouth to belt out a song:

"People are slobs, and such a bore,  
>They leave their garbage lying on the floor."<br>_"And they all love it, when they cheat,_  
><em>Yes each and everyone you meet!"<em>

"They don't care, not a single toss,  
>They'll steal without asking for the costs."<em><br>__"And if you're short on cash, well tough luck,__  
><em>_they kick you out cause you're short one buck!"_

"Oh, but at least I have you,  
>A best friend always standing near!<br>You never cheat, or lie, or hurt,  
>It's clear you can only trust a reindeer!"<p>

"da-da-da"

"_dabba dabba dabba da"_

"dun-dun da-dun"

"_ba-ba badum, da"_

"Kids laugh at you all day,  
>When you simply wanted to play."<br>_"If you're shivering, to your bones,_  
><em>Adults glare at you and lock up all their homes!"<em>

"Girls stare and shriek, with every hour,  
>'Cause you can't afford a single shower!"<br>_"And if you give, a funny look,__  
><em>_Men'll beat you up cause they're all crooks!"_

"Oh, but at least I have you,  
>A best friend always standing near!<br>You never cheat, or lie, or hurt,  
>It's clear you can only trust a reindeer!<p>

"Oh, but at least I have you,  
>A best friend that always standing near!<br>You never cheat, or lie, or hurt,

"Forget those people,"  
><em>"and their sneers<em>,"

"It's clear you can only trust a reindeer!"

"_dun-dun-dun-dun_"

"Now I lay here, in chilly night,  
>But next to you, I feel so bright,<br>You keep me warm, you make me smile,  
>Together, we make it all worth the while!"<p>

_"Those are kind words, coming from you,__  
><em>_It's my turn to say something too,__  
><em>_Yes it's cold, and I'm weary,__  
><em>_but at least you are besides me!"_

"Oh, but at least I have you,  
>A best friend always standing near!<br>You never cheat, or lie, or hurt,  
>It's clear you can only trust a reindeer!<p>

Oh, but at least I have you,  
>A best friend always standing near!<br>You never cheat, or lie, or hurt,

"Forget those people,"  
><em>"And their sneers,"<em>

"I'm glad I can at least trust a reindeer!"

...

Drawing out the very last note of the song with mellow relish, Kristoff propped the lute to his side to give a congratulatory pat to his reindeer resting besides him, earning a friendly bump to the shoulder in return. The two finished their duet together with a cut-off, earning a short round of applause from the Queen. Sven graciously received the ovation, dipping his head to her in an obvious imitation of a performer's bow, while Kristoff just grinned bashfully, despite being the one who did most of the work.

"That was... quite an interesting choice of words you've chosen, Kristoff," Elsa observed brightly, "especially the one about the showers."

The blond man's face flushed a light shade of pink, and he scratched the back of his neck. "Well, that's partially my fault. I know it's not something Royal people are normally used to listening to... or for people in general, actually." he added. "Seriously, three weeks is not nearly enough for me to change my old habits and direction; I literally have dozens of lyrics dedicated to... uh, 'reindeer superiority', and almost nothing relating to more normal topics."

"I don't suppose Anna minds?" Elsa mentioned, playfully elbowing the ice harvester.

"A-actually, your sister thought they were very entertaining." Kristoff countered defensively, pulling another carrot out for Sven to munch on. "And, as a matter of fact, Sven and I _do_ have something special planned for Anna. It's just that... well, it's for her ears only." The young man turned his head away from Elsa in a fit of reservation. "...Can't really have you hear it and all."

The Queen raised her pale hands from her lap and showed her palms, forming a lighthearted gesture of surrender. "No worries, Kristoff, I don't want to overstep any boundaries you may prefer to uphold regarding my sister. Besides, I still found your music rather entertaining!"

The ice harvester visibly relaxed upon hearing her assurance, and he smiled in relief. "Whew... thank you so much, Elsa. I was getting kind of nervous back there!"

Elsa's blue eyes crinkled, the ends of her lips forming a wide grin. "You don't have anything to be so worried about, Kristoff... although, considering Sven's attitude with you after we were sidetracked by Helge and the historical accounts, I'm surprised your best friend is not jealous whenever Anna is around!" she laughed.

The only sound that answered back was the quiet snores of the neighboring horses.

Elsa had expected Kristoff to play along with her remark, snarking back with a quip such as: "Right, Sven gets so envious of Anna that there were times when he abducts me, forcing her to rescue my sorry butt," or "Yep, this reindeer actually has a dartboard with Anna's portrait tacked on." Something parallel to those lines.

So, it was to the young woman's great puzzlement when no one in the stable room spoke a word, or moved from their spots for that matter. "Kristoff?" she asked tentatively. "Sven?"

Both the mountain man and the reindeer looked at her upon hearing their names, but said nothing. Kristoff's expression in particular was woeful; it was almost severely grave, a complete turn-around that killed the cheerful and amicable atmosphere he himself had raised just seconds earlier.

_How could such a man like Kristoff react this poorly to a simple joke? _Elsa wondered to herself. _Unless..._

An ugly implication struck Elsa with a jolt, and she slapped her hands to her mouth in horror. "I-I'm sorry Kristoff..." she stumbled, "I didn't know that I've just offended-"

"-Please Elsa, it's perfectly alright. There's nothing that you need to get yourself worked up all over!" Kristoff quickly asserted.

"But, I'd feel terrible if you and Sven couldn't enjoy each other's company just because you are in a relationship with my sister..."

Kristoff held his hands outwards to cease the Queen from continuing, and said, "Elsa, please let me finish: Look, it's true that I cannot have nearly as much fun hanging out with Sven nowadays like we used to, ever since Anna bumbled her way into us three weeks ago. To be frank, there are moments when I find myself at a loss for whether I should pick over my best pal, or my girlfriend. Afterwards, I just feel so awful and guilty..."

Something about those words that unnerved Elsa, yanking on her heartstrings with twinges of empathy; she knew exactly what Kristoff was talking about, having sensed the same thoughts for Anna. That was because, now that her little sister had companions like Kristoff, the Queen wasn't certain of her own place in the Princess' life, even if they could finally treat each other like actual sisters again.

Still, Elsa continued to listen to the ice harvester, who was now slinging a strong arm around the reindeer's neck, pulling Sven closer to him in a single-handed hug.

"This guy gets it though." Kristoff noted, jabbing a finger at the animal licking his hand with vigorous interest. "Whenever I feel I've done something wrong for spending time with Anna, Sven is always there to tell me that it's perfectly fine, that he is happy for the both of us as long as we continue to make each other smile."

The mountain man flashed Sven an appreciative grin before continuing, "Always the one to look out for me, he's made his own sacrifices so I can free myself up for special moments with Anna.

"Besides, it's not like he's completely alone either these days; your sister comes by to see him often, I still make time for friend activities, and I've seen Sven hanging around with Olaf for the past couple of weeks. Everyone was happy with the outcome overall, which at least meant not all was lost."

Ignoring the pressing question of how the reindeer was able to communicate such feelings to his owner without an ability to speak, Elsa found herself gaining a newfound respect for this compassionate animal.

Sven, seemingly comprehending what was running through her head, merely flashed a lazy smirk through his closed eyelids.

This little foray into Kristoff and Sven's relationship was increasingly profound with every passing minute; Elsa herself had always felt conflicted with Anna's newly discovered friends and lifestyle. Contrary to what most people may suspect, this turmoil wasn't out of jealousy: Rather, Elsa wished for her younger sister to experience as much joy as possible to make up for thirteen years of isolation and pain, and felt that she was only a shackle subduing Anna from achieving that desire.

_So... you're just the ball and chain attached to Anna's ankles, always keeping her malnourished in sleep and affection with your own troubles, is that right?_

_What might you do?_

An idea was beginning to crystallize in Elsa's mind, taking root in her brain and heart with speed and conviction. She might hurt herself while carrying it out, but the Queen was no stranger to pain; she may just finally find peace within herself in the long run.

At least, he should at least let her cherished sister's boyfriend know.

"You know, Kristoff..." Elsa commenced.

"Hm?"

"Now that you mention it, I like to think the same words should apply to me as well for being your friend."

Kristoff blinked dumbly at her. "Say what?"

"Ever since I went into isolation, Anna spent her years just wishing for her best friend to come back, to enjoy each other's company as sisters again. Three weeks ago, her wish has finally come true... but I'm certain she never expected a man such as you to come along as well."

"...Elsa," Kristoff said warily, "you're making me feel uncomfortable..."

"Shush. This is payback for making me talk my heart out to you early." Elsa reprimanded pleasantly. In all honesty, she was probably enjoying herself too much at the moment. "Without a doubt, she now has to balance her time repairing the bonds of her family... and her romantic love life with you."

To Elsa's great amusement, Kristoff began to visibly sweat and redden, tugging the collar of his summer clothes nervously while Sven smugly watched outside the line of fire. "I-I... I don't r-really know what to sa-... say." he floundered.

_Kristoff had been nothing but understanding to me, sacrificing both his time and well-being to make sure I was happy._ Elsa reflected to herself. _He only needed to be asked by my baby sister, and then decided to go above and beyond the call to keep everyone safe._

_I think it's about time that I come clean with him._

"Kristoff..."

"Y-yes?"

"Earlier, you have confessed to me your envy for my winter magic and the loyalty of Arendelle, my sister Anna included. However, you must understand that, in all actuality, _I _should be the jealous one between the two of us."

Both, Kristoff and Sven whipped their heads to face Elsa at breakneck speeds, both sets of brown eyes open wide with shock. "Th-the Queen of Arendelle... jealous of me?" the mountain man sputtered, pointing to himself. "But wait, why?"

Elsa nodded, her blue eyes coming dangerously close to pleading with the ice harvester. "Listen to me Kristoff: I am Anna's sister, but that is all I could even become. You've heard what happened between Trigve and Adam."

Her smile grew more chipped and wooden, tiring her face with every passing second. Slowly, her expression faltered bit by bit, until there was barely a hint of hopeful positivity left on her face, the rest rendered level with simple acceptance. "The time for me to care for Anna and go on adventures with her as a big sister has already passed; we are no longer children. Should we prevail in our encounter with the Spøkelse of Ravendall, I would still have to work hard to become a good Queen for my people, someone they can look up to for guidance.

"Because the Princess does not share the same burdens, she and I will surely follow separate lives, splitting further and further apart with every passing year. The two Royal brothers from Ravendall understood this first-handedly, and it's about time that I should too."

Kristoff drew in a long breath through his nose. He listened to Elsa's reasoning, the corners of his mouth and brows pulled downwards into a scowl, briefly intimidating the Queen with his quiet intensity. As she continued to explain her case though, his expression leveled out into neutrality, not exactly happy with what he was hearing, but at least not to the point of anger. He just sat there. Silent. Listening.

Judging.

Elsa leaned harder against the haystack and swallowed; her heart was terribly heavy now, cumbersome enough to make an act as simple as talking a difficulty. "Kristoff, I think... I think it goes without saying that Anna loves you just as much as she cares for me, if not more. W-who knows?" she laughed feebly. "With enough time, you might even get to share your life with her, capable of granting her the love she craves for the rest of her days."

Elsa sighed. "You and Anna have done so much for me, and that is why I must return the favor; from now on, I pledge to train myself into becoming more self-reliant, more resistant to moments of weakness. I'll work harder to make up for what royal duties Anna may possess, so she can be freed from her shackles and enjoy the people who deserve her. ...If I can become less of a bother for everyone, then it's a sacrifice I'm willing to take."

The ice harvester stared at the Queen, uttering not a single word. Elsa's mouth felt incredibly dry under his gaze, and her mind began to wander; idly, she noticed Sven was staring at her with the same facial expression as his owner. Birds of a feather.

The hay beneath Kristoff rustled, and Elsa watched as the mountain man and the reindeer glanced at each other, seemingly communicating with only their eyes. They both nodded curtly, and returned their focus to the Queen.

Elsa was hardly prepared to expect Sven to be the one to rise from his position, grunting softly as he stepped forward and made his way closer to the Queen.

She was even less ready when the reindeer shot her a completely deadpan look straight in the eye, and swung the blunt end of his antlers with a twist of a neck, whacking Elsa hard on the cranium.

"Ouch!" the Queen cried. "Owowow..."

"Sven!" Kristoff reprimanded frantically, his voice pitched higher than normal as he jumped from his seat. "I only needed you to nudge her a little roughly or something, not to give her a concussion! Oh, I'm going to be so dead for assaulting the Queen!" The young man continued to jabber away, panicking to no end as Elsa continued to nurse her injury. "So-Sorry about that, Your Majesty, I really shouldn't have done that! Don't freeze Sven... he really didn't mean it on purpose! It's my entire fault that he decided to act this way!-"

In the middle of his flood of apologies, the blond ice harvester froze in place, pausing to suck a sharp breath. He exhaled slowly, allowing himself to regain his composure. "Elsa..." he began, clearing his throat. "I think what you're planning is very respectable... except that you're carrying out all of the wrong reasons for doing so."

It was Elsa's turn to blink absentmindedly at her friends; Sven and Kristoff's out-of-the-blue reaction to her statement was surprising enough to suppress the dull throbbing of her head.

"Have you completely forgotten that one of the people Anna deserves in her life includes her long-estranged older sister?" Kristoff asked. "The way you were putting your point across, I'd have believed you were ready to lock yourself away and abandon her again! Come on Elsa, that wouldn't be like you at all!"

Kristoff's voice softened to a gentler tone, as the man leaned over and rested a warm hand over Elsa's. "You are neither Adam nor Trigve, and we are in a time where it's best to stick together, considering the arrival of the Spøkelse. You no longer have a reason to keep your family splintered, and everyone had fought too hard for thirteen years just to have you open up to the world again." He squeezed Elsa's hands tightly, sending tingles of warmth up her arms.

"You're supposed to be an all-powerful Queen, Elsa. The kind of person who can get anything she wants with a snap of her fingers. If you truly want to improve yourself, do it because it will make everyone happier, _including _you." The man finally brought himself to smile kindly at the Snow Queen. "I personally don't have a clue on how, but any kind of 'sacrifice' carried out for that reason is a pledge I can get behind."

Just like that, Kristoff's monologue was like the light of a new dawn, brushing aside Elsa's pain with the sheer hope they were infused with. The ice harvester was completely right, of course; if the Queen forced her newfound family to leave her in misery, no matter what good intentions she may have for doing so, the act would have completely invalidated the efforts they made to end her thirteen years of isolation.

Queen Elsa wasn't the kind of person to be _that_ incredibly selfish, certainly not something worth calling Anna's elder sister.

Elsa's lips began to quiver and wobble, the muscles in her cheeks straining to pull downwards. She could feel something blocking the inside of her sinuses, coming dangerously close to spilling out and downwards. Quickly, the lady sniffled to suck the mucus back in, before wiping her nose dry with the back of her hand to make sure. Elsa didn't even bother feeling for any tears: Her blurring vision and stinging eyes were evidence enough.

Kristoff, understandably distressed by this sudden turn of events, broke out into a sweat, and darted his brown eyes back and forth as if debating the best route to escaping with his body as intact and unfrozen as possible. His view fell upon Sven, who just raised an eyebrow at him in reproach. Kristoff silently waved his arms in protest, but quickly lost his will to run underneath the reindeer's gaze.

Puffing out an exasperated breath, the ice harvester remained where he sat, fidgeting slightly as the stable room was now filled with Elsa's hiccups. "Um... Elsa?" he asked nervously. "I'm... I-I'm sorry I made you cry..." He gave the stable ceiling a long-suffering look, and spread his arms out awkwardly to his friend. "Do you... do you need a hug, or something- ah."

Before Kristoff could finish his sentence, Elsa had already wrapped her arms around the ice harvester, squeezing his body tightly in a platonic embrace.

"Cold, cold, cold..."

Elsa sniffled. "You smell, Kristoff."

"I get that a lot from Anna enough times already." The mountain man retorted dryly.

"You're also very warm..."

Kristoff blinked. "Aw... I get that a lot from Anna, too."

Elsa's eyes crinkled at the edges. "You know, Anna and I should be truly lucky to meet a man such as you..."

Kristoff blinked rapidly down at the woman in his embrace. "Eh? What's with this sudden tangent?"

"Please, just let me finish..." Elsa mumbled abruptly. "I'll be referring back a few years, long before we've met you, Kristoff.

"When we were still kids, and as Anna grew older, inevitably developing an interest in the world outside of our Palace, she dreamed about one day meeting her knight in shining armor, riding on his noble steed in the beautiful daylight. When she wasn't fooling around or asking for me to be her friend again, she wouldn't ever stop talking about this dream person to everyone, not even to me from behind my bedroom door.

"The details about this man changed randomly with every telling: Sometimes he was a tall and fair prince, other times he was a regal naval officer, he was even a pirate for a few rare instances. She had probably imagined over a thousand versions of this person, but the main reason was always the same; so she could finally find some who could appreciate her for who she was, like the family who should have been doing the best job of all.

"And yet, never would I have expected Anna's knight to be a simple ice harvester riding on the back of a reindeer." Elsa released herself from him, brushing her face dry with the sweep of her thumb. " Kristoff, Sven, I think this is the beginning of a wonderful friendship. You've done so much, putting some sense back into my head like that, and I'm truly thankful that Anna saw fit to have you two help me out."

The reindeer closed his eyes and rested his large head on the floor contently upon hearing those words, while the ice harvester beamed at her, bending down to reach for the sack of carrots lying on the floor. "Gee, thanks. Apparently, it's just what I've been doing for the past three weeks now."

Pulling a brightly orange carrot from the bag, Kristoff offered the vegetable to the reindeer sitting contently besides him. Sven gleefully craned his neck and crunched up his share of the treat, leaving the rest for his owner to finish.

But, just as Kristoff raised the vegetable to his mouth, he realized Elsa's blue eyes observing him. Pausing for a few seconds, he smirked, and pointed the half-eaten carrot towards her, the reindeer saliva still glistening in the lantern lights. "Want 'un?" he casually asked.

Elsa's dark eyebrows shot upwards, and she gulped in a fit of nerves; the woman wasn't sure if _this_ is the kind of acts friends tend to get involved in often, give that she... well, never really had actual friends for years until somewhat recently. In fact, her own list of companions so far only included Anna, Kristoff, Sven, Olaf, _maybe _a few of her trusted servants... and possibly that drifter from yesterday, Frode.

Still, would they have done the same thing?

_This just has to be a rite of passage, I know it! But... is it worth the embarrassment?_ She thought furiously to herself. _Is it worth sealing her trust with her baby sister's boyfriend with the final nail?_

_I've never even ate a carrot raw before..._

Elsa's fingers twitched unconsciously, but eventually forced themselves to snatch the root right out of the ice harvester's hand. Her resolve was already wearing down rapidly, so the Queen adapted by refusing to let her eyes get a closer look at the vegetable. Mentally picturing the thing in her hand as perfectly cleaned, washed, and disinfected, she sank her teeth into the orange carrot, snapping off a chunk violently by bending it downwards, the piece landing right on her tongue.

Already, her stomach convulsed out of utter terror, but Elsa persevered, chewing slowly and deliberately with her eyes closed. The taste was just so... she didn't really have a better word for it, _eccentric_ when raw. In her mouth, the vegetable was somehow both unbelievably dry enough for her to choke, and yet watery enough to make her question reality. It took all of the Queen's willpower to convince herself that the carrot was perfectly juicy by itself, and _not_ because it was covered in deer saliva.

Much to Elsa's gratitude, the carrot eventually became easy enough to be rid of with a single swallow; she gasped for a breath afterwards, feeling the lump landing down in her stomach, and smiled weakly to the mountain man and the reindeer staring at her in awe. "I-it's... It's what friends do, right?" she laughed nervously, slightly perplexed by their faces.

Kristoff's eyes flicked to the bitten vegetable in the Queen's hands, and he cleared his throat delicately. "Um, Elsa... What you did was very admirable, but...

"...I offered the carrot to you as a joke."

Wait, what.

* * *

><p>Unlike many people, Kristoff and Elsa were not exactly the most chatty folks walking around in Arendelle. The two were perfectly capable of enjoying small-talk, especially to the people regarded as family, but they've frankly spent enough time doing exactly that; as of now, they were taking a long break, just enjoyed each other's company in the silence of the sleepy Palace interiors. It was only until they stepped into a familiar hallway did Elsa finally spoke up.<p>

"Kristoff..." she asked shyly, "are you sure I should be doing this?"

The large man next to her responded with a snort. "Hey, you're the one who wanted to change your current family situation. At least tell Anna what you'll be up to firsthand, before any possible, erm... _misunderstandings_ begin taking place." He shuddered. "I don't want to be a victim of the ensuing bloodbath."

Elsa bit the bottom of her lip, frowning at the insecurity lingering inside her. "I know that, Kristoff... but will it make anything easier? Will it truly help in me becoming a better sister to Anna?"

The ice harvester pulled his mouth to one side, looking briefly uncertain for the outcome himself. "Nothing's easy in life nowadays." he answered gruffly. "But, it shouldn't be impossible though, especially now that I know both sisters are fighting for the same goals."

The words didn't make sense to the Queen's ears. _Both sisters?_ she wondered.

_Anna? Doing her best in improve herself like I was? __The implications doesn't make any bit of sense! Why would she need to, when she is already the most caring sister anyone in the world could ever have?_

Elsa must know for sure: She stared at Kristoff straight into his brown eyes, stopping the ice harvester in his tracks. "...About Anna," she asked slowly, "what exactly were you talking about?"

The ice harvester blinked at the Queen, and gulped audibly, fidgeting to scratch at his reddened ears. "Ah," he breathed to himself, "me and my big fat mouth..."

Elsa crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Look, it's nothing for you to worry about." Kristoff affirmed. "End of story. You can trust me when I say that it is harmless and well-beyond the need for hiding."

"Then what are you still trying to hide?" Elsa pushed.

"I... really cannot tell you, Elsa. You can try forcing me into spilling the beans, but I'm a guy who keeps my promises."

_Which means... Anna was the one who doesn't want her older sister to know. _The whole revelation was curious enough to draw a concerned frown on Elsa's face, but she stopped pressing the issue any further; the Queen had already seen the worth of Kristoff's words.

Instead, she resumed back to walking, with the mountain man following closely behind until the finally came to a stop, right in front of Anna's bedroom door.

"Well." the young man stated. "Here we are."

The question of what exactly Kristoff and Anna had been hiding from Elsa faded into obscurity, as the pale lady turned to the ice harvester to smile in appreciation. "Thank you Kristoff... for everything that you have done." The Queen elbowed the ice harvester in the arm to express her gratitude.

Kristoff beamed in response, standing a little straighter in pride. " You are my girlfriend's sister, and my friend besides. It's the least that I can do."

With that said, the ice harvester turned around on the heels of his shoes to promptly walk away from the door. His sudden abandonment did not go unnoticed; Elsa made a double-take, whipping her head so quickly that she nearly slapped herself with her own braid. "Wait, Kristoff!" she called out as quietly as she could, so as not to disturb the inhabitants of the Palace. "Where on Earth are you going!?"

Kristoff gave her a withered glance, as if he had expected her to have known already. "To the bathroom, of course. I'm a human being, I still need to empty my bladder somewhere!" He returned to his path, waving a hand behind him as he continued to walk away into the darkness of the halls. "Don't bother knocking, Elsa. She sleeps like a rock."

Elsa huffed through her nose in exasperation, disappointed that she no longer had a companion nearby. The inconvenience wouldn't be enough to scare her from entering Anna's room, of course; Elsa was well past such insecurities for three weeks now.

Granted, having someone to make sure she won't develop cold feet would have been appreciated.

"Great, great..." Elsa muttered to herself, rubbing the heel of her hand to her temples. "Now, because _someone_ can't hold it in for another five minutes... I guess it's just you and me, huh?"

She eyed the patterns on the door, marveling at how the crocus patterns seemed to swirl and dance from one bud to the next, until it dawned on her that she was merely delaying the inevitable, stalling for time. Keeping that in mind, she mustered up what felt like all of her strength, just so she could reach for the brass doorknob.

_It would have been much easier if Anna had already woke, and opened this door at this very instant. _Elsa mused to herself. _It would certainly spare me the trouble of going through this mess... _

Bizarrely, the Queen's memories suddenly flashed back to her years spent as a child after the Accident, when Anna's preferred method of heckling her older sister was still stakeouts. The little redhead would wait in hiding out of sight until Elsa was forced to leave her room for food or tutoring, and then charge while squealing hysterically in an attempt to tackle-hug her target. Terrifying days, those were.

Elsa couldn't help but feel the corners of her lips rise, and she chuckled privately. Yes, those were still very sad times, but if anything could be found as lighthearted and amusing during the thirteen years of isolation, Elsa would have her laughs where she can get them.

The platinum-blonde raised her shoulders and puffed up her chest; enough internal reflection, she was about to make everyone proud by going full steam ahead. Gathering all of her aplomb, she grasped the door handle firmly, and pushed down the hinge with perhaps a little more strength and drama than was necessary.

_Don't you think that's too much steam going on, Miss Snow Queen?_

With great care, Elsa lightened her grip on the doorknob, and pulled the door little by little so it wouldn't make a creaking sound. Taking a few instances to compose herself, the platinum blonde peeked inside.

Now, Elsa always knew that her sister was not exactly what one would call "neat"; if the Princess made a mess in the Palace, for example a collapsed suit of armor, or a domino of falling marble bust stands, it would be more in Anna's nature to sweep the issue under the rug, both metaphorically and literally.

Even so, it didn't get any easier for the Elsa to look at Anna's room at its logical conclusion.

The elder sister cringed at the jubilant chaos smothering Anna's bedroom, almost forced to look away from the anarchic state it was in: Kristoff had earlier described the room like the aftermath of a hurricane running rampant inside the bedchambers.

Meanwhile, Elsa preferred to describe the disaster as if Anna had decided to strap every loose article of clothing, toy, discarded snacks, old flowers, and anything else no smaller that the Princess herself to a massive firework, before setting it off in her chambers just for giggles. Such a circumstance would have garnered similar results, what with a porcelain teapot hanging precariously off the top corner of Anna's dresser, or ribbons strewn around like confetti during the Carnival cleanup.

Elsa shook her head in disbelief, and gingerly lifted the hem of her skirt high. Bending over to watch her steps closely, she plotted her every move so the high heels of her frosted shoes would not poke holes in anything of value.

_Of course, your feet are more likely to serve as impromptu trash pickups, Elsa. Couldn't you just snap your heels off?_

Elsa's right eye twitched involuntarily; first things first, she really needed to do something about her constant self-criticism... even though her inner voice actually had a fair point.

The Queen's contemplation was cut short, as her knee knocked themselves against the wooden frame of a bedpost. She blinked, and looked down at the mattress to see a lump snuggled deep beneath thick blankets, with only a band of red hair standing out in the night.

Elsa sighed, and lightly pulled down on the sheets, unveiling the rest of Anna's face; the Princess appeared incredibly peaceful in her sleep, the muscles surrounding her eyes completely relaxed, a hint of a smile touching her flushed face.

The platinum-blonde's heart warmed at the sight, and she prodded her baby sister gently on the freckled cheek. "Anna... can you hear me?" she asked.

Seemingly disturbed by Elsa's voice, Anna's eyes scrunched up in something akin to irritation. At least, that was what the Queen assumed, and she planted her fingers to her mouth in haste.

Then, the most irritating, cacophonous, ear-splitting racket rumbled and groaned from within the Princess herself, sounding like an organic rendition of two chunks of sea ice grinding incessantly against each other.

_Well, at least I know for sure that she's completely succumbed to slumber... _Elsa was in half a mind to poke the redhead even harder, but her hand paused out of hesitation.

_Seriously, why haven't you considered the problems and gaping holes regarding your marvelously primitive, half-brained scheme of yours? Anna is currently in deep sleep right now!_ _In all honesty, you're being a bit of an idiot if you believed you could be a better sister, waking her up in the dead of night like that!_

Elsa swallowed hard, her hand withdrawing and tucking itself against her chest. _Maybe I should come back some other time_. she thought-

A flurry of flapping bed sheets parted, giving way to strong hands that rose from within. A pair of sprightly arms locked around Elsa's neck, weighing the Queen downwards with the full force of the redhead's body. Elsa gasped out of astonishment, her blue eyes focusing onto the Princess' lips. They opened and closed repeatedly, forming words that were accompanied with rasping breaths.

_"_Ma... Ma..."

_Ma... Ma..._

_Mama._

"Mama," Anna mumbled, this time much more strongly. The Princess squeezed even tighter around the Queen's neck, her lips stretching into a wide smile of joy. "It's been so long, Mother."

Elsa choked, what was left of her breath now completely taken away.

_Mama._

_Mother._

_Anna thinks I am our mother..._

A cold dagger of lament pricked Elsa's heart; what else was she supposed to do in this situation? "Anna, I'm..."

_I'm not our mother. I am only your sad excuse of a sister, something who could just barely register as a guardian just because she was a Queen with magic powers._

Well, that was what Elsa intended to say, but...

Anna just looked so _happy, _thinking she was was talking to her Mother again_. _ It's true, all of this is merely a product of Anna's dream, an inconsequential series of images and mental trickery that will disappear as soon as she wakes up. This was all a fragile fantasy, a soap bubble that will pop the moment the Princess opens her eyes and rise from bed. Come the break of dawn, all of this will be forgotten and discarded. Why should Elsa even bother maintaining this illusion?

And yet... something possessed her older sister that day, something that told her to let this dream linger for just a little longer.

"Anna, I'm...

"...I'm here. I'm right here for you. I'll try to stay around for a little longer."

Anna beamed through her sleepy eyes, but not for long; they started to convulse and pucker, and her mouth twisted as if she was trying to suppress the urge to cry. "You're here... Please, don't go away again. Please, don't leave me alone!"

Elsa was well aware that she was only feeding her sister's delusions; it was her turn now to fight back the incoming flow of tears. "Anna... I can't do that. I can't be a mother to you forever. I can't-... I can't love and care for you like I used to, because I mustn't stay for long."

Anna made a whimpering sound that tore at Elsa's heart even further. She wasn't used to seeing her beloved baby sister sound this vulnerable, this heartbreakingly lonely since three weeks had passed. "Shh..." Elsa soothed. "It's okay, y-young one. I-I've got you..."

A stroke of inspiration dawned upon Elsa's mind, and she patted the redhead on the shoulder. "Listen, Anna." she began, sniffling a little. "I can't remain to care for you, but I... I know for sure that Elsa, your big sister, will try to make up for it the best she can."

Anna's eyelids fluttered upon the mention of her sister's name. "Really, Mama?" she asked.

"Yes, please trust me on this." Elsa assured, now slipping her cool arms behind Anna's back for her own embrace. "I know she can be such a burden with her powers, and she gets upset more often than you do. Your sister can be a real crybaby at times, always the being the one suffering the meltdowns, always feeling so weak and afraid... and yet, you've done and sacrificed so much to help her, because she was your family.

"Well, it's time that she finally becomes a true elder sister, the best big sister anyone in the world could be. She will decide her own choices, compensate for the thirteen years spent leaving you alone and unloved. She will make herself stronger for you, for Arendelle, for everyone. You won't have to worry about her hurting herself or anyone else, because she is going to take matters into her own hands, and pull her own weight when push comes to shove.

"There will be dark times ahead, I'm certain. But, Elsa wants you to know that the next time you come seeking her out, it will be because you want to spend time with your sister and best friend, and not because you must be the one to ease her from her sorrows... J-just have faith in her, y-you'll see."

Anna's soft whimpers slowly came to a stop, and she hugged even tighter. "Okay..." she mumbled softly. "But..."

"Yes, Anna?"

"I already know she is the best big sister in the world." Anna beamed from ear to ear, and her sleepy eyes just opened wide enough to reveal her blue irises. "You should have told me yourself, Elsa."

Elsa's cheeks blazed as her younger sister finally released her grip on the Queen, and fell back to the mattress with a flop.

Anna had heard everything. Of course.

"...How was my Kristoff?" The Princess yawned. "Did... did he make you cry? Was there any ice?"

Elsa blinked at her sister's questions, but her lips formed into a warm smile of her own. "He was simply wonderful, a gentleman through and through."

"That's... great to...- to... know." Anna sluggishly remarked. Her eyes returned to being as relaxed as they were before, and her breathing became slow and regular. The Princess had succumbed back to total slumber.

Someone knocked on the door, and Elsa whipped her head around in response, her icy blue eyes falling upon Kristoff waving shyly from the doorway. The ice harvester carried a cushioned chair with him on one arm, and made his way through the carnage that was Anna's bedroom. "I was watching." he whispered. Elsa made a sour face at him, which only drew a snigger from the blond man.

In the middle of Kristoff's trudge, he came to a stop, and bent over with one arm outstretched. When he stood back up, he held small dolly in his large hand, a smiling little girl with blonde hair and wearing a pretty blue dress. The childhood toy sent Elsa into titters, as she pointed at with mirth. _You were right all along__._ she mouthed.

The ice harvester grinned, and placed the very comfortable-looking chair by Anna's bed, gesturing for the Queen to take a seat.

Elsa took the offer, nodding to the mountain man in gratitude. But, the Queen frowned when she realized he was left without a place to sit. Intending on making a cushion out of snow to solve the issue, she was therefore mildly surprised when she saw Kristoff content with seating himself on the floor, resting his back against the side of Anna's bed. The man had already tucked the little Princess next to the real one before quickly giving a snore, his chest rising and falling with every breath.

_Anna is truly lucky to have met him, a person who can be our best friend._

Elsa watched two of her favorite people in the world as they rested in peace, a smile curving her mouth as she laid back, and welcomed the moment when slumber finally took its hold on her conscience.

_Who knows... _

_If that time ever comes, I wouldn't mind calling Kristoff my brother._

* * *

><p><strong>Ah, remember Helge's Notes from the last chapter? It will be a regular thing now. Sorry.<strong>

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen._**


	15. Ch 15: It Gets a Little Lonely

**So anyways, FrozenRose1 hasn't been active as of late (I sure hope she's okay), so I've accepted another person to be a beta-reader.**

**Ladies and Gentlemen, meet RohnHazard. He/She/It/[redacted] has been very kind to offer help at a time when I needed it most, and I am very, very grateful, because this chapter was a pain to write. **

**All rights go to Disney as usual, and credit goes to RohnHazard for beta-reading and editing. Keep up the good work, you.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 15<span>

It Gets a Little Lonely

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><p><em>Helge's Journal Observations, Passage No. 4:<em>

_To keep casualties to a minimum, the original plan was to have Elsa face the Spøkelse on her own..._

_It had to be adjusted._

* * *

><p>"Hey Elsa, are you alright?"<p>

Anna asked worriedly, looking up from the book she fished from one of Elsa's shelves in her study. Both girls had left what remained of their delivered breakfast on one of the wooden tables in Elsa's study.

The Queen of Arendelle had been massaging her temples with her fingertips for the past few minutes, jolted from her desk with a start. "Oh! Um... I'm okay, Anna."

"You big liar. Look." Anna snorted, flicking a finger downwards to the ground.

Elsa stared blankly at her little sister in confusion, and decided to follow the redhead's command. Only then did she realize just how badly her calf muscles burned and screamed at her in pain; the Queen had been tapping her feet up and down repeatedly without making a conscious effort to do so. The tic wasn't anywhere near inconspicuous either; the heels of her sculpted ice-shoes clicked against the floor in a rapid staccato.

Hastily, the Queen planted her feet down with a grunt, ending the rapid tapping short.

"Nervous, huh?" Anna said, smiling sympathetically to her older sister.

"No." Elsa snapped curtly. "On what grounds would a simple habit give you such assumptions?"

Anna stared at her sister, slightly open-mouthed in surprise. She was certain her older sister wasn't being harsh intentionally, but the remark stung anyway. The redhead even felt a dull ache in her chest, a bruise brought on by what felt too close to betrayal. How could her sister sound so _snippy_ with one simple denial? How could anyone, for that matter?

Still, the Princess steeled herself, fully affirming herself that Elsa was just being reactive: The platinum-blonde lady's following actions, a pair of widened eyes and a mouth set into an "O" were evidence enough.

"Elsa, please." Anna began gently, hoping both can forgive and forget from this mishap. "I've had three weeks to learn whenever you are lying, but it's okay, sis. I'm a little scared too." The younger sibling paused, and tilted her head to the side in consideration. "Well, maybe less 'scared', and more 'terrified beyond belief', but there's not too much of a difference, is there?"

Elsa sighed, her face downcast with strife. " You? Nervous? We may have just one day left after this until... until that _thing _comes. And yet here you are, reading a book about animals in Africa as if you know we can win, while I sit here doing absolutely nothing like the neurotic mess I am!" The Queen rammed her pale hands up to her face, burying herself into them. "I'm... I'm scared, Anna."

The confession alone nearly drained Elsa of whatever heart she had remaining left, but she continued to press on. "This isn't how we're supposed to live, after three weeks of finally remembering what it was like to be family. Shouldn't I be someone powerful, a-and reliable, one who could face everyone's demons without feeling even a smidge of fear? What kind of older sister am I supposed to be, much less a Queen, if I'm here quaking inside of my own house?"

Anna rested the book gently on her lap, so she could look directly into those blue eyes that the two sisters shared. "Elsa, you're pretty mistaken about that." Anna sat up from her seat, and jabbed a thumb to her own chest. "Everyone's scared for their lives, sis! There's nothing to be ashamed about that!"

The Queen laughed rather wistfully in response. "For someone who says she's terrified, you certainly have an obscure way of showing it. Even Kristoff seemed so levelheaded with me last night..."

Anna crossed her arms and pouted. "That's totally untrue, Elsa! Of course we get scared! Like-... Hm, like..."

The redhead's voice trailed away, and she scratched her head, vigorously raking her mind for any memories to present as evidence. Eventually, she latched onto the first thought that presented itself within her mind, the freshest one as of lately.

"Oh yeah, didn't you remember the look on our faces when you sicced that giant monster at us three weeks ago, back up the North Mountain?" Anna huffed out a breath in amusement. "Man, you really knew how to make Marshmallow the Snowman pretty intimidating!"

Elsa snapped her head upwards in response, hardly believing her ears. She narrowed her blue eyes, peering at the younger sibling with suspicion.

"'Marshmallow?'" she repeated.

"Well, that was what Olaf keeps calling him." Anna stated matter-of-factly, as if this one response was the go-to answer for every enigma and oddity in existence.

Elsa didn't feel the need to push any further; those words were enough. While the Snow Queen had already guessed Olaf was a living personification of her inner feelings, what with his catchphrase "I like warm hugs" being something borrowed from her thirteen years ago, it was often hard to believe Olaf had descended from the Queen. He was perpetually cheerful, outgoing to a fault, and possessed a sanity that was questionable at best, if not downright bizarre.

"...I'm sorry about that, Anna." said Elsa. "About having the giant snowman kick you out."

"No worries!" Anna hastily responded, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "At least in my opinion, and only in mine because I couldn't possibly know what Kristoff and Olaf were thinking about at the time, it was pretty cool being chased through a forest, and then down a two-hundred-foot cliff!"

Less than a second was all Anna needed to wish she had kept a closer eye on her motor mouth; Elsa winced and shrunk away, as if Anna had been laying out a fiery barrage of insults and hateful venom directed at every being. With Elsa being who she was, the effect would have been all the same.

_Ah, nuts. Elsa never really knew what happened _after_ the incident with Marshmallow the monster, didn't she? _

_Now, I just told her that her creation nearly killed me, the one thing she had been striving to prevent for over thirteen years. How would you react, if everything you have to done protect someone was not only in vain, but could potentially harm them in the process?_

Anna jerked her head violently to the side, sweeping away the potentially ugly images before they could form; if anything happened to the family and friends she had discovered three weeks ago...

Anna couldn't help but a little sick in her stomach for inadvertently hurting Elsa. Cursing her own insensitivity, the redhead slapped herself in the forehead in remorse, before sliding her hand downwards to cover her chatty mouth.

_Okay Anna... I know you're not much for thinking ahead, but how can you salvage this conversation?_

The Princess lowered her hand from her mouth to steal her sister a quick glance. She but sucked in a breath and opened her lips, but wasn't surprised to feel hesitation lodge itself in her throat: As Anna had no idea what was needed to be said, she failed to say anything that wasn't a quick word of encouragement, so she was forced to restart the process. This went on for quite a while because of her mental block, so the Princess constantly repeated the motions over and over. After some time, Anna was beginning to look strikingly like a fish struggling to breath in the air.

It was only until Elsa began to stare, when the redhead's voice finally broke out. "So uh... what are we supposed to do? About the big spook and all?" she asked, retreading their discussion.

Elsa sighed, almost out of relief for the return to the main topic even as grave as this particular one. The Queen furrowed her dark eyebrows in concentration, pushing her focus away from her melancholy. "Helge said there isn't much we can do with only an estimated day left on the clock." Elsa leaned her back against her chair. "It's frustrating. I feel like we really need to prepare at least _something_, you know? Maybe a simple practice regimen, or even just a book about monster hunting..." Although it would probably amount to nothing in the end. I told everyone I was going to better myself, but I find it hard to believe I can be a match with the Spøkelse."

Anna gave a hopeful smile. "Maybe you can-"

"-Anna," the Queen interrupted, doing her best to look appreciative, "I know what you are trying to say, and I would like to thank you for working so hard to keep my hopes up. But look: I'm not you. I've stopped taking leaps of faith years ago, after..." Elsa's soft voice grew more brittle, "...after everything we have gone through."

"Elsa..."

"Please, I'll try remaining optimistic for everyone's sake, including my own," the Queen said, pulling up the corner of her lips to make sure her expression appeared more genuine. "It's just that I would feel much better if we had a concrete plan, or know exactly what must we do."

Elsa's younger sister was just about to protest, annoyed at how cynical the Queen was being behind that hopelessly wooden mask, and yet...

The young lady bit her tongue, and clamped her lips shut in a rare pique of self-restraint. It was a little quality she practiced over the course of three weeks, starting with Elsa's rather eventful Coronation Day. Anna was unabashedly impulsive and pushy several times, much to the light chagrin to both her elder sister and her boyfriend, but her will and stubbornness nearly plunged an entire kingdom into an unnatural freak winter.

Of course, Elsa's stressed body language was nowhere near to that one level, but the Princess had no wish to repeat that achievement anytime soon.

_This conversation is getting us absolutely nowhere._ Anna thought to herself. _I try to compliment her, but none of it is reaching anywhere close. Maybe..._

_..Maybe she just needs time_. _After all, even I still found everything about yesterday to be a massive shock! She probably needs a little while to adapt by herself._

_Well, not that there's a lot of time left on the clock, but it's better than plunging Arendelle into chaos, _before _Spøkelse even arrives. __Yeah... that sounds about right..._

Anna looked up at the ceiling, scratching her chin in thought. "I wonder how he's doing, anyway? About Marshmallow, I mean." she mused out loud, hoping to offhandedly change the subject.

No one answered back.

Feeling somewhat parched, Anna stood up to pick her glass from the nearby table, and drank some water, swirling it around in her mouth. Unknowingly taking in too much, some of her drink squirted out from her mouth, dropping onto the floor. The water created a dark patch that resembled a deep stain more than anything else. Even though it was just water, a person like Elsa or Kai would probably panic and mistake it for grape juice.

_Ah... It's a shame I can't make the spot disappear quickly like Elsa could with the ice._

_...Ice._

The readhead swallowed the rest of her drink, then shot a glance at Elsa sitting all by her lonesome. A brilliant idea began crystallizing and taking form. "Hey, Elsa!" she called out.

As Elsa was looking up, Anna drank more water, until she vaguely resembled a rodent with its cheek pouches stuffed to the brim. Without additional warning, she spat a jet of water aimed just to the right of where Elsa sat.

The shimmering projectile sailed gracefully in an arc, and slipped by Elsa before splattering itself against the wall.

Elsa blinked rapidly and was rendered motionless, her senses temporarily numbed from the sheer spontaneity. More than ten uncomfortably silent seconds passed by between the two, with the only movement being the water dripping its way down the wall.

"Anna!" Elsa snapped, finally admonishing after much delay. "What on Earth are you doing?!"

"Think fast!" Anna replied, and she squirted another jet of water at the very same spot.

But in the middle of the projectile's trajectory, the Snow Queen instinctively blasted it with a wave of ice magic from her fingertips. Right before Anna's water spout made contact, it solidified into an icicle instead, bouncing off its mark before hitting the carpet with a dull _thud_. There, the frozen chunk of ice laid innocently, as if it had nothing to do with anything.

"Anna!" Elsa admonished once again. "Just what the he-"

The Princess squirted yet another spout before the Queen could finish, forcing the platinum-blonde to put her concentration on freezing it instead.

This time, the magically-formed icicle struck the floor with its pointed end, standing proudly upright and quivering in place like a freshly launched crossbow bolt.

Elsa blinked, and barely registered Anna moving in the background, calling out, "Target practice!" as she hurried to reach for the water pitcher.

More spurts of water flew outwards in rapid succession, but Elsa finally comprehended what Anna was aiming towards. Bringing her arms outwards, the Snow Queen released her magic, firing one winter blast after the other with beams of frost and shards of ice. The new icicles too stuck to the floor with their pointed ends in with the exception of one, which plunged itself deep into a wall. The end result created a bizarre tableau, with the formed lines of ice jutting out so awkwardly and haphazardly that it brought Elsa into titters.

Her peals were contagious, setting Anna off in turn, until both were laughing at the sheer absurdity of the situation. "Let me grab some more water!" Anna exclaimed brightly.

* * *

><p>Kristoff clomped loudly in the Palace hallways, probably alerting at least half the castle ahead of his presence. The young man had just came from a discussion with his troll friend and adoptive brother Helge, and he was left feeling somewhat emotionally drained afterwards.<p>

As the sound of his curved boots continued to roll and echo like gentle thunder, the mountain man shook his head in disbelief; Anna and Elsa's home was a work of wonder, playing mind games on him by being a very, very cozy place... perhaps somehow a little too cozy for his liking. Everything in this castle was so luxurious, a complete shift from the shoddy night lodgings he occasionally didn't even have the cash to pay for. Of course, that didn't mean he was at all ungrateful for what the two sisters have done, but they went above and beyond what he hoped for when they offered a roof under his head three weeks ago.

Now, Kristoff lived inside a big fancy castle, complete with a full army of servants, fresh food every day, and the additional bonus of indoor plumbing. He also got to sleep in the same home as the Princess of Arendelle, of all people!

In other words, he basically achieved every man's dream... at least, according to the whispers behind his back: Every time he left for town with Anna besides him, Kristoff's ears would pick up snippets of gossips, almost always about this one lowly ice harvester standing nearby with the Princess. Frankly, he hated the newly acquired attention; being recognized by the whole country was, and still is, very disconcerting for the once-solitary man.

But hey, at least he gets to be literally closer to Anna and her family than he had ever dreamed about, and his best friend Sven finally got a place to laze around and hang out with companions whenever he wished. That sort of trade-off more than made every trouble worth the while.

_These issues never did anything about the members on _your _side of the family, however..._

Just as this little reflection closed itself off within the blond man's head, Kristoff heard faint giggling and squeals of delight coming from down the hall and around the corner. Entering the corresponding hallway, he spotted a single patterned door, the only one in place from one end of the corridor to the next. Naturally, the laughter could have only came from the room it lead into, and Kristoff had a rather shrewd notion about the culprit's identity.

Even more muffled jubilation slipped from beneath the door's threshold, piquing the mountain man's curiosity even further. The ice harvester walked forward until he was directly in front of the doorway, and grasped the brass handle firmly in his hand. He pushed the door open, and poked his head inside, hoping to see exactly what on Earth could possibly be so amusing.

_Fwip!_

In his mind, Kristoff thought he would see a redheaded Princess and a platinum-blonde Queen to the right of his vision standing in the middle of the room, hunching over in guffaws, bright-eyed and in high spirits, their hands covering their mouths in a poor attempt to hide their wide smiles, looking like they were having a complete blast of a time.

Unfortunately, that pleasant image was replaced by the reality of a heavily distorted reflection of Kristoff's own large nose and brown eyes. He initially believed he was face-to-face with a rather terrifying clown.

Another blink was all it took to identify the source of the obstruction; with a gulp, the mountain man discovered that he was facing a rather crude-looking icicle, a spike that had embedded itself deep in the wood of the door he opened; the sharp-looking projectile had just grazed the man by the skin of his large nose, leaving a small but chilly sensation where it touched.

Kristoff stared dumbly at the quivering chunk of ice, too astonished to utter a single word. Yet, he didn't move at all; the fact that he nearly got an impromptu nose job did not exactly register with him at the right time.

Moments passed by in stunned silence, but the ice harvester eventually clued himself in; several seconds too late for an appropriate reaction, Kristoff leapt backwards in terror, and lifted a hand to his nose to feel for any missing chunks, the spot where the icicle made contact still tingling.

"Omigosh, Kristoff! I am so, so sorry! Are you hurt!?"

The mountain man first whipped his head to face his alarmed girlfriend, and then rubbernecked all around to gaze at the room's interior in bewilderment; Kristoff bore witness to many strange things in his life, but icicles jutting out of the floors like a bizarre garden display was a new sight to him.

His eyes twitched involuntarily at the shards of ice sticking out of the walls, the floor, and even a couple that had protruded from the ceiling. He was almost reeled in and spellbound by the sight; the icicles glistened when the sun's rays passed through the windows, creating subtle and ambient shades of colors throughout the whole room. Sometimes, the ice twinkled, like stars bright enough to shine during daylight.

In a way, the room nostalgically reminded him of his childhood home by resembling a well-lit cavern filled from top to bottom with luminescent quartz. All and all, the view was... rather lovely, actually.

Eventually though, Kristoff brought up the requisite willpower to tear his eyes away, albeit with great reluctance. Hyperventilating a little, he gave the two Royal Sisters standing before him a withered look.

Elsa and Anna blinked at the same time, and glanced at each other in silence.

Then, Anna lifted a hand up, and pointed a finger at her older sister. "It's all Elsa's fault." the Princess hastily muttered.

"You liar!" Elsa playfully snapped. "You were the one who started it!"

"You were the one who made the icicles!" Anna countered, pouting.

"No, it was thanks to you that we made this room a complete mess..."

"Ladies, ladies!" Kristoff interjected, holding his hands out to stop the two. He had just enough about silly sibling antics, even if they were only involving his friends this time around. "In any other situation, you two can talk all you want. But..." the ice harvester made a grimace. "...I just came back from the library with Helge."

Well, that certainly was enough to kill the mood. Upon hearing the troll's name, the Royal Sisters immediately hushed themselves, and nodded slowly for the ice harvester to proceed.

Anna came forward to dip her head a little. "Sorry about that, Kristoff..." The redhead tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear, and smiled awkwardly at her boyfriend. "So, what exactly did Helge say?"

Elsa straightened her back and folded her hands over each other, carrying all of the regal authority of a Queen. "I would like to ask the same thing, Kristoff. What must I do?"

Kristoff pursed his lips, his eyes not quite focusing on the women standing before him. "Yeah, about that..." He lowered his voice to a grave tone. "Things could get pretty ugly, fast."

That last phrase alone was enough to send chills up the Queen's back; Elsa swallowed hard, dreading the worst.

"To fix the problem, Helge is suggesting that we should move out as soon as possible." Kristoff continued. "Preferably as soon as possible, and on horseback."

"Move out?" Anna asked nervously. "A-as in leave the kingdom?"

"Well, yes." Kristoff answered bluntly. "Since the two of you are the Spøkelse' priority targets - no offense - we should be able to distract the thing by meeting it at a specific location; if we can get ourselves within eyesight of the monster, it will have no choice but to give chase."

It didn't take long for Elsa's mind to catch onto the rest. "If I can present myself in front of the Spøkelse early..." she mused, "it would be forced to face me first. The shade wouldn't be given the chance to even touch anyone! Of course!"

Out of impulsiveness, Elsa wrapped her arms around her little sister, happy that this one glimmer of hope for victory has finally presented itself after so much worry. "I-if I win... You'll be safe... everyone will..."

"Aw... Elsa!" Anna smiled back at her older sister, patting her gently on the back. She was happy too, now that the platinum-blonde seemed to have finally found some confidence within herself.

And yet... two, niggling little details clung to the back of the redhead's mind, one of which was inferred from Elsa's way of speech; while she finally spoke as if she can take the Spøkelse down once and for all, the Queen talked as if it was she and she alone who must shoulder the burden of fighting.

The other detail was the fact that the mountain man's face remained neutral and guarded, even as he nodded in approval. "Yeah, trolls can be pretty formidable, if they actually gave themselves enough time to think." Kristoff cleared his throat. "However, there's a bit of a catch."

Elsa released herself from her baby sister, and stared at the ice harvester in confusion. "'Catch?'" she asked.

Kristoff inhaled a long breath through his nose, not looking to happy with himself. "...We don't actually know where it could be coming from."

The entire room went still.

"Pabbie had pointed out routes in advance that the Spøkelse may be forced into taking by being trapped in Hel," Kristoff hastily added, "but there are too many possible choices. Helge is figuring them out, but it will be mostly guesswork from here on now. Pretty good guesswork, but the off-chance that we might choose wrongly is still very obvious."

Anna frowned at her boyfriend. "So... why bother leaving the kingdom? Why even take the gamble?"

Kristoff scowled, but he spoke with a voice that sounded more defeated than angry. "The alternative would be to wait until the Spøkelse finally arrives at our very doorsteps. If we chose that instead, the resulting chaos would be... something to talk about." Kristoff paused, before adding, "Well, that would be if there was anyone left who can talk afterwards."

"Kristoff!"

"Sorry Anna..."

All the while, Elsa just stood by her lonesome, her mind racing with the ugly images that birthed from Kristoff's words. In a way, the Queen saw the whole thing as some sort of a sick joke against her, her family's newfound peace and happiness, and especially the safety of the people who call her their Queen.

"Waitwaitwait, I've got an idea!"

Elsa whipped her head towards the direction of the voice. For some reason, she wasn't surprised to realize that Anna was the one who shouted.

"Eh?" Kristoff asked, having mirrored Elsa's reaction.

Even though Anna tried to appear grave, she clearly looked so excited and pleased with herself, practically bouncing off the balls of her feet. Her face came dangerously close to bursting into a smile. "We need to know exactly where this spook is, right?"

"Yes..." Kristoff answered warily.

Anna swung her hands out before motioning them downwards, taking a short breath to compose herself. "How about we go out into town?" she tried to suggest levelly. "Let's go ask any people for any recent and unusual sightings."

"Hm... I see your point," Kristoff commented, "but you're forgetting that we are searching for something that has only entered Arendelle' territory just last night, if it had even stepped a single foot inside yet."

"What, you don't believe I thought this through?"

"No, not rea-"

"Hush." Anna reprimanded. "Look guys, I'm serious here. The thing is, there's gotta be people in town who have contacts outside of Arendelle's borders, right? Merchants, farmers, those kind of people? Some of them are so busy, I bet they would practically have to leave and reenter the kingdom each and every day!"

Elsa's eyes widened in revelation, and she slowly nodded. "So... what you're saying is that there are citizens who regularly travel, and could possibly help us pinpoint the Spøkelse's exact pathway?"

When her baby sister eagerly nodded in agreement, the Queen felt light in response, almost giddy, out of newfound optimism. Unlike the Princess, however, Elsa was always thinking her actions thoroughly, her mind a hotbed of second thoughts for over thirteen years, up to this very day.

Already, the Queen suppressed her hopes down to a manageable level, and she faced Anna with solemn eyes. "Anna..." the platinum-blonde murmured. "If we just go around telling everyone about the Spøkelse, who knows what kind of chaos would erupt. We might even cause widespread panic..."

Anna merely waved a dismissive hand. "Pfft, it's not like we gotta do too much explaining, do we? Just ask the random person for unusual fogs or scary sounds, anything similar! We only need to ask for strange sightings, and be all subtle about it!"

Even in her cynicism, Elsa couldn't help but smile at this bundle of perpetually cheerful energy. "Anna, I'm frankly unsure if you are even capable of anything related to 'subtlety'..."

"Elsa!" Anna whined, completely flustered. She looked like she was in half a mind to pout and stomp her feet. "Please, I'm trying to tell-"

"Alright, alright!" Kristoff exclaimed. He planted his large hands on the Princess' shoulders to settle her down. "No need to say anything else, we get it!"

" I couldn't pass the chance." Elsa added, smiling a little sheepishly. "Sorry."

Anna visibly relaxed and smiled, looking affectionately at both her older sister and her boyfriend. "So... sounds like a plan?"

Kristoff stared at the Princess, his mouth pulled downwards into a frown.. "Anna..." he said. "I still don't think we should be going outside..."

Anna's smile faltered a little slightly.

"...At least, until you dress a little more warmly. The sun's gonna disappear behind clouds pretty soon, and I hear today's rather cold for summer." Kristoff grinned from ear to ear at his girlfriend. "Well, we can't just sit around and twiddle our thumbs while Helge does all of the work, eh?"

Anna beamed. "You got that right Kristoff! Come on, let's head out already!"

Literally hopping off from where she stood, the fiery girl bolted out of the doorway, with Kristoff following closely behind. "Outside, we go!" Anna's voice hooted with vigor. Both sets of their footsteps quickly faded in a decrescendo, until only the quiet natural ambiance of the empty Palace halls following in their wake.

Elsa shifted her eyes left and right, and sighed with herself, drinking in the tranquility of the now-lonesome room. Even though she didn't find much pleasure in it nowadays, but the Queen saw the solace as... well, something of a reprieve.

_Those two..._ she thought to herself.

No sooner had that thought escape Elsa's head, when a flash of colors alien to the decorations of the Palace interiors caught her vision. Glancing to the side, found herself staring at two pairs of eyes, one blue, the other brown, peeking from the doorway in curiosity.

"Elsa?" Anna asked, her blue eyes shining brightly in the daylight.

"Hm?"

"Are... are you alright?" Both Anna and Kristoff stepped into full view, their faces set in concern for the platinum-blonde standing all by herself in her study.

Elsa nodded once. "You know, I think it's best if I stayed inside..."

Anna frowned, in light of her sister's sudden hesitation to move. "Why not? Didn't you enjoy your time outside yesterday? Are you..." the redhead gasped, her blue eyes wide as saucer plates. "...Are you still afraid?"

Elsa blinked twice in rapid succession, and violently shook her head. "Nonono, not at all! That would be ridiculous." Elsa sputtered ferociously, huffing a breath.

The Queen straightened her back, and lifted her chin up in an authoritative pose. "I just-... I just have work that needs to be done back in the castle, that is all. The files and documents back in my bedroom are growing more than I could care to count, and they have little concern for incoming threats. Only deadlines."

Elsa's companions continued to regard her with perplexed eyes and raised eyebrows, clearly skeptical about Elsa's behavior.

"Please, don't worry about me!" Elsa assured. "I think now's a good time for me to manage myself like a big sister now."

"But-" Anna began.

"Go on. I'm sure you'll be able to enjoy yourself." The queen flashed the two a warm, appreciative smile. "Besides, I'm not going to simply abandon you guys; once I'm finished with work, I will have have a little discussion with Helge involving the kingdom's safety."

Adding some finality to her tone, Elsa lifted a hand up to give an amicable wave. "Farewell, Anna and Kristoff. I look forward to your return." Elsa's smile grew a touch wider, and she saw fit to add, "Just... just try not to stay outside for too long, okay?"

Anna, taken by surprise because of her sister's behavior, could only wave back tentatively. She appeared hesitant, almost baffled with herself for mimicking her sister bt waving goodbye as well. "Um... okay. Okay then." She turned around, and walked out of sight, her footsteps following gently behind her.

"Come on, Kristoff..." her voice called, trailing off.

Kristoff stared at the Queen of Arendelle for far longer than she was comfortable with, before following suit and disappearing out of sight just as Anna had.

The silence that came afterwards was uninterrupted, at last.

Elsa folded her hands over her lap, and pursed her lips.

_Why did you even bother to make up excuses? _

_After all, they already know._

* * *

><p>"You can't issue an evacuation."<p>

Elsa stared at the figure standing in front of her in the Royal library with narrow eyes, her gaze growing increasingly hostile. The muscles in her jaw contracted, and it was all she could to avoid gritting her teeth. "I'm sorry..." she said slowly, a touch of frost adding edge to her voice. "I'm afraid I didn't catch on to that. Tell me again, _what_ did you say?"

The stout little creature in front of her, a granite-skinned troll by the name of Helge, raised his head out of the mountain of books he had gathered. He narrowed his eyes at her in turn. "If you want me to be clearer, then so be it: You shall not order an evacuation of Arendelle. Grand Pabbie had specifically told me to make certain you do not authorize such a position."

A very displeased Elsa scowled at the little troll, folding her arms and eyeing him with a glare cold enough to form icicles, without any magic involved or necessary. The effect it had on Helge was apparent; trolls couldn't break out in a sweat, but they could swallow and fidget nervously like there was no tomorrow.

"Look, Helge." she began, even more frost gathering in her tone. "I respect and appreciate everything you and your kind have done for Arendelle in recent memory. However, your decision to neglect informing me until later was arguably neglectful on your part, and I've frankly had a long, long day yesterday."

This time, the wintry magic of the Snow Queen expressed itself as a reality, with wisps of silvery mist descending from her left hand. "Give me one good reason why I cannot care for the safety of my own people as the Queen of Arendelle, before I freeze you into a block of ice, and leave you right here to thaw until the end of the day."

"Easy, easy!" Helge exclaimed, holding his disproportionately thick hands out in protest. "No need for any freezing anything here, Elsa!" He then paused for a beat, tilting his head to the side. "Although... being forced to stay in one place may help me retain consciousness for longer until sundown..." He shook his head, and coughed. "No no, much too impractical. I'm sorry, may I try again?"

Elsa blinked. She hardly expected Helge to be so scatterbrained, and lost much of her harshness just as he lost his train of thought. She glanced down her left hand, and was alarmed to see that it was enveloped in a tight flurry of swirling snowflakes.

Slightly panicked, she rushed to shake it away as one would do with stubborn tape. The snow from her fingertips, a product of her raised emotions, sputtered before ceasing to a stop.

Now that she was no longer clouded by rage, the fire that was the resentment at being told not to be a responsible Queen for once in her short reign extinguished rapidly, replaced by remorse and mollified shame. Shame for letting her temper get the best of her once again, shame for lashing out at someone who wanted to help her, with threats of freezing him, no less!

_But maybe... for once, maybe this sort of outburst was justified._

_So first you're pulling out excuses to not help your friends, and now you're putting the blame on others?_

For some reason, this accusation only irritated Elsa. _What do you expect me to do? Tell him that you agree, and let your people twist in the wind just because a troll said so? What would make him and Pabbie correct anyway, if they couldn't even hold a good track record involving you!_

_Apologize._

_What are you-_

_Now. You can fret all you want afterwards._

Still feeling somewhat heated from her internal debate, Elsa inhaled deeply through her nose, letting her chest rise and fall slowly and gently. Already, the straining muscles of her face was alleviated of their stress; poor as the Snow Queen's relaxation techniques over the years may be, referring back to them at least provided _some _assistance in pacifying herself.

At least, the ice produced by the Queen was kept to a minimum this time.

Elsa bowed her head slightly to the little troll in apology. "I'm... I'm sorry about threatening to freeze you, Helge. It was rude and unforgivable of me to treat a guest so poorly."

Helge blinked twice at the Queen, before shaking his head and sweeping a hand briskly. "You have nothing to beg forgiveness for, Your Majesty. It is natural for you to express loyalty and responsibility for your subjects."

Seating himself back on the floor within his miniature den of books, the troll gave Elsa a level stare, his voice still hardened with stony resolve. "Unfortunately, I must continue to implore that you stop from evacuating the kingdom. Instead of the salvation you desire, doing so will only endanger the lives you have sworn to lead and protect."

An ember within Elsa's chest lit up, threatening to grow out of control once more. The Queen winced and chose to ignore it, keeping her main focus on hand before she could burst once more. "And exactly how would that happen, Helge? We all know the Spøkelse desired revenge against Adam, but lost its chance when it couldn't escape from the Lost Woods of Ravendall. Shouldn't it have replaced its feud to Adam's direct descendants instead, namely Anna and I?"

The platinum-blonde figure briefly fidgeted with her braid, her voice becoming hushed. "...I don't see how Arendelle's citizens fit into the grand scheme of things."

"Your Majesty, you must hear me out." The troll protested, lowering his head out of respect. "What you are going through is perfectly understandable. If this was any situation besides this one..." The troll sucked in a breath. "Elsa, if the Spøkelse of Ravendall was just another demon, evacuation of Arendelle would have been the first choice. Creatures like them frequently have a lust for human suffering, but they are merely predators; what is not directly in front of them does not merit any concern.

"But this demon... No, it isn't just any monster, Elsa. It used to be _human. _The Spøkelse carries a personal vendetta that will not be satisfied by a simple fight: it wants to _hurt _you, in every way possible."

The Queen's blood ran cold, sending pinpricks and needles up her spine like crawling spiders.

"You have seen how it behaved against Adam the Adventurer, torturing him and the whole of Ravendall with its power... And that was _before _he escaped from its grasp. I'm sorry Elsa, but an evacuation will inevitably send your kingdom scattering to who knows where-"

"...And it will be like throwing them to the wolves." Elsa finished. Already, her mind raced to make sense of everything that was given to her: Having the citizens of Arendelle trapped within the kingdom is not even close to ideal; they would be mere sitting ducks, with many available and ready for the picking before the Snow Queen can get to them in time. What's more, should Should Elsa and allies fail, _everyone _who called Arendelle their home will fall under the Spøkelse's machinations.

But... if she were to evacuate her people instead, there will be little knowledge of exactly where they might head; Innocent men and women might disappear from the face of the Earth, unprotected and alone within possible eyesight of the Spøkelse itself.

Neither available option was close to palatable, but what was the correct one?

Was there even supposed a right choice?

Elsa shut her eyes, and held out her hands in a surrendering gesture. "Okay, okay. I see your point. But... what about the people who regularly come in and out of town? How am I supposed to guarantee their safety as well?"

Helge sighed, tilting his head upwards in slight hope. "They should be alright, your Majesty. The Spøkelse can sense human life, but only in large groups; it's the evacuation of the kingdom that could cause everything to fall apart. Worst-case scenario, these people you speak of would be smart enough to avoid the Spøkelse's entrapping walls."

"You mean the dense ash clouds in Adam's recounts?" The news did wonders to alleviate the Queen's weariness. "So... what must we do instead?"

Helge gave Elsa a strange look. "Didn't Kristoff tell you already? We'll be heading out as early as tonight to confront the Spøkelse, long before it could reach anywhere close to Arendelle!"

Elsa frowned in concentration. "But... he told us that not even Grand Pabbie knows exactly where it could be."

Helge froze in place, his eyes briefly rendered dull from recalling this information. But then, he quickly reaffirmed himself, standing up as straight as his rotund body could manage. "Grand Pabbie had calculated every possible pathway, route, and meeting spots as soon as we received news of the Spøkelse's escape. We should have little worry for error."

Elsa continued to remain disquieted. She forced herself to look beyond Helge's apparent optimism, and forced herself to say the prevalent question festering in her mind. "What if... what if Grand Pabbie is wrong this time?"

For the second instance in a row, Helge froze to a complete halt. This time however, it took him much longer to recover, and for good reason; both were very aware the Troll King wasn't omniscient, in spite of his experience and guidance.

"Ah, say... where did Kristoff and Anna run off to, by the way?" Helge asked, hurriedly changing the subject.

Elsa tilted her head to the side in curiosity. "They both went off to ask the townspeople questions about any mysterious happenings. They're hoping to help by pinpointing a good location of where the Spøkelse could be lurking about."

Helge's eyes widened, and he slapped himself in the forehead. "Of course! I'm such an idiot, not even considering that Arendelle could help in its own way!" The troll began to softly chuckle, before growing into a full-on belly laughter. Full of mirth, Helge smiled warmly at Elsa. "Those two truly are quite clever whenever they need to be, no?"

Elsa couldn't help but feel the corners of her mouth curl upwards, and she nodded in agreement.

"Although," Helge asked, "why didn't you go with them?"

Elsa's face flushed a furious shade of pink, starkly contrasting her platinum-blonde hair and normally pale features.

Helge blinked in surprise. "Don't tell me... you're still afraid? Even after what you've did yesterday?"

"J-just one day isn't enough to change much!" Elsa flustered. Yesterday was enough as it is; she couldn't imagine being subjected to another day's worth of being the center of attention. The eyes, the pressing gazes, the clamor and the noise and the constant judgments and the whispers-

No... She just couldn't handle two days in a row. No matter how hard she tried to convince herself, her mentality stubbornly clung itself to the safety of her castle.

Helge furrowed his thick brows, and scratched at his tangled mop of grass-like hair. "Hm... it's the attention you fear, isn't it?" Elsa nodded in reply.

"Well, that's not hard to imagine, given that you are the Queen and all. Even without a tiara, you would be pretty recognizable on the spot."

Elsa chuckled sadly. "So the main reason I'm so afraid of leaving the comfort of my castle... is because I'm the Queen? Well, that sure is one big twisted joke at my expense."

The Queen paused for a beat, her mind beginning to trail off. "You know, I still had fun yesterday. It was really stressful, but fun all the same. The problem is that I keep feeling uneasy from everyone's attention. If only I had less of what makes me..." she gestured her hands towards herself, "_me_, I-I guess I can deal with another, um... outing."

Helge scratched his chin, looking at Elsa with a sudden interest. "If you had less of what makes you... you, eh?" He wriggled for a bit, and then brought his hands high upwards. With his thick arms, he pushed himself free from his mountain of books in a clatter, but not before grabbing a tome from the collapsing pile. He licked his thumb, and used it to sift through the worn pages. "Well, you're the Queen of Arendelle, and a natural-born sorceress besides. Nothing can be done about your magic, but..." The troll suddenly grinned toothily from ear to ear. "But, I'd like to think that isn't what makes you a Queen."

Elsa blinked at the troll, her blood running cold in realization. A sneaking suspicion began to touch the edge of her voice. "Is that... a book on the history of Sweden?"

"Why, yes! What's your concern?"

Elsa's tone dropped to a complete deadpan, and she felt herself stepping backwards unconsciously. "You're looking at Charles the Eleventh, aren't you?"

The troll nodded quite cheerfully.

"You can't possibly be serious..."

* * *

><p><strong>RohnHazard is much more analytic, so be prepared for a slightly longer waiting period between chapters. All of this is being done to maximize the enjoyment of you readers, alright?<strong>

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen._**


	16. Ch 16: Why Don't You Stay?

**All rights go to Disney, and credit goes to RohnHazard for beta-reading and editing. **

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 16<span>

Why Don't You Stay?

* * *

><p><em>Helge's Journal Observations, Passage No. 5:<em>

_A sizable number of people, both inside and outside of the magical community, utterly revere Elsa with either great fear and/or awe. Some even go as far as considering her to be a living deity._

_A deity. Laughable._

_Still, it's somewhat understandable if you look past the absurdity: People of Elsa's caliber are few and far between. It's no surprise that quite a few have decided to imagine fanciful back-stories and theories while elevating her to a position far beyond themselves, in no small part thanks what happened three weeks ago._

_These people, human or otherwise, have deliberately ignored the subject of their admiration; focusing on "what" she is in place for "who". They focus only on Elsa's power and influence, believing themselves to be insignificant in comparison. They don't see her as someone who walks among them, but as a goddess that no one can hold a candle to._

_Again. Laughable._

_In truth, Elsa is just a human. Absolutely nothing else. One doesn't even have to strip away her powers to do so; she is a plain, ordinary person through and through. So, how come Elsa gets to be the one woman - one queen - gifted with the ability to command Winter itself when no one else in the world could?_

_Well, that's like asking why one person grows up tall, why another grows up short, or why someone has a different eye color, hair, and skin tone. Asking why Elsa could do what her peers cannot is like wondering why one is more empathetic, why one can be a natural leader. It's like asking why someone can sing, while another can't carry a tune in a bucket, why one can easily breeze through life without trouble, while another would have to scrape every ounce of resources at their disposal just to get by each and every day._

_The point is, Queen Elsa is many things, but she does not deserve the veneration. The praises imply that she cannot be emulated because she's so "special", when in fact anyone has the potential to do so. If they worked hard enough to break limitations and make up for what they lack, people can even surpass the Snow Queen. The qualities that make her up: good, bad, or simply present, are mere parts of the wide spectrum that unites humans under the same species, while still forming fantastically unique individuals. Scratch that, these traits are what makes all sentient beings unique in general. People like Elsa aren't gifted, they're just... people. "Unique", like everyone else. Everyone belongs in the same spectrum, so everyone has the same potential. All in all, Elsa is just who she is: A Human. Nothing more. What she can do can be equaled - even outdone - with effort._

_But... let's not forget that, like everyone who exists or had existed, Elsa is nothing less._

* * *

><p>From its very beginning, Arendelle had always been a kingdom for merchants. Not only did the province possess several routes that fan outwards for miles, it was located at the mouth of a fjord, with harbors that led to the rest of Europe by sea. Naturally, the kingdom was a hotbed for incoming trading vessels and exotic goods from all over the world.<p>

To make a long story short, Arendelle was in perpetual motion. The streets were full of patrons and sellers alike, a sort of electricity crackling in the air as they clamored for each other's attention. Even the grey clouds blotting out the typically bright summer did little to disrupt the people's energy. Sure, the dearth of sunlight cast an unnaturally cold spell over the land, but there was no room for complaining; there was business to be done.

Of course, today's productivity was dented by a wave of gossip and intrigue: Her Majesty, Queen Elsa of Arendelle, had caused quite a stir within the community because of her first Royal Visit yesterday, and the talking hasn't quite lost momentum. Some were still recalling the events of the Queen's infamous breakdown at a restaurant to their peers, along with her subsequent recovery afterwards. All in all, it was something interesting to talk about.

Meanwhile, two burly men with a sizable height difference between them stood inside the Farmer's Market. They too were chatting it up, although they discussed some rather… different events. As they compared between brightly colored apples for size and quality, one could hear snippets of their conversation if they stood close enough:

"...Aye, the Western Path had been blocked off last night. Damndest thing that could happen to my business." The larger of the two scratched the back of his neck. "Trees were ripped straight from their roots and tossed everywhere. Had to circumvent the horses just to get through. There was barely any time left for harvesting."

"Really? I thought that pathway wasn't affected by landslides, since they were so far away from the hills."

"This was no landslide. You see, some of the wooden bark had claw marks all over. They could have been caused by a sizable bear, but I don't remember such creatures ever deciding to uproot trees for sport."

"Do you think… _it…_ was responsible?"

"Three weeks ago, I would have laughed you out of town for suggesting such, but... Aye."

The shorter of the two nodded slowly in contemplation. "Mm… can't do much about it. I'll get some men to help clear the-... the... Say, what on Earth is she doing?"

The two men craned their necks simultaneously, their focus gravitating towards a single subject: a woman smack dab in the middle of a choked river of commuters. As the only one who tried to resist the flow like a river rock, she wasn't hard to spot; the lady clung onto her cerulean cape like a security blanket, her bonnet revealing unusually dark bangs.

The lady turned her head left and right in confusion, as if debating on where she needed to go. She sidestepped a little from side to side with a slight swish of her cape, as she attempted to catch the attention of many a random passersby. Unfortunately, she would almost always fail miserably; the woman would raise a hand tentatively like a nervous student, only to withdraw it should someone actually face her. Sometimes, she would cup her mouth to try raising her voice, only to quickly give up and hang her head low in defeat. She was too timid to stop any of the hustling and bustling commuters in their tracks, and only attracted the attention of the two men in the first place because they stood a fair distance from the energetic chaos, giving them a view of the situation.

The shorter man thought that something had to be done. He glanced at his partner, motioning his chin towards the crowds. He had hoped the big guy would make a move first, but his companion didn't even budge from his spot. The shorter man sighed, and thrust his purchased bushel of apples at him in annoyance. He ignored the sniggers coming from his friend, before marching forward to dive into the commute, one hand raised high. "Hey, Miss!" he called out. "Miss!"

When the cloaked lady either didn't respond or ignored him, the man raised his gruff voice just a little louder. "Miss! The one in the blue outfit!"

This time, the lady jolted to a rigid stop, as if an electrical current ran through her. The man even believed for a moment that he was hallucinating the whole time, no doubt from spoiled apples, and was only trying to catch the attention of a painted statue. That was, until the woman stiffly turned her head to face him.

The short man nearly came to a stop himself; the lady's eyes were a startling shade of bright blue, throwing her black pupils in incredible relief. Only a scant few natives of the kingdom sported such a shade of glacial ice. Together with her dark hair, he was convinced that he was facing a rather intimidating foreigner.

"Y-yes?" she asked nervously, her voice barely audible in the din of the crowded street.

"Uh..." The man was still in state of shock, and was dangerously close to grasping at straws. "...I was just wondering what you were doing. You look lost."

The lady widened her eyes in alarm, and gripped onto her cloak tighter than before. "No, I'm not lost at all. Thank you for your concern, though!"

"...Do you at least need some help?"

"Actually, I..." The woman hesitated. "No, please don't worry about me! I can handle this on my own."

"...Alright then. Carry on." With only a small wave of farewell to the peculiar woman, the shorter man trudged back to the market stand in light confusion, where his friend waited for him with crossed arms and disappointed eyes. The shorter man's eye twitched involuntarily out of irritation. "Look, it wasn't as if anyone else was going to help out-"

"-Wait!"

For the second time in a row together, both men whipped their heads out of the Farmer's Market. Both their lips parted slightly through their beards, alarmed to see a pale hand standing out of the masses. The rest of her body popped out in full view as she wrung herself free, her blue cloak and bonnet somewhat askew. "W-Wait!" she called out, panting and bending over on her knees in exhaustion.

Both men flicked their eyes to each other, before rushing to give her a lift. "Do you need something this time?" the shorter man asked.

What happened afterwards was one of the more surreal moments experienced by either men: When the lady gently displaced their hands with her astoundingly cold touch, she lifted herself into a tall and straight posture, one that would need practiced discipline to perform. She dusted her cape and dress clean, which revealed surprisingly fine patterns upon closer inspection, before folding her hands over each other. Even the faint little freckles she owned did little to cut down on her intimidation factor. Accompanied with her brilliant eyes, the lady emanated authority hardly found in common folk. These simple adjustments completely changed the woman's image, which was now a far cry from the previously disorganized mess. "I've decided to take up your offer of assistance." she stated, a mask of neutrality slipping over her face.

The shorter man stared blankly. Who on Earth _talks_ like that?

"I would like to ask if-" the woman swallowed, still sounding a bit frail and wavering, "I would like to ask if you had seen any strange happenings outside of Arendelle."

The larger man twitched with a start. This did not go unnoticed by the woman in the cerulean cloak, who now focused her startlingly blue eyes onto him. "I suppose you have something to say, sir?"

"Uh..." The larger man gestured towards his partner. "Ah, I was just telling my friend here that the Western Passage was blocked off by upturned land." His voice wavered out of slight embarrassment, but continued under the woman's gaze. "I believe that it wasn't natural, but a culprit who was responsible for such a deed."

The woman's eyes widened, and she brought a hand up to rub her chin in thought. "Something was stirring trouble..." she muttered disjointedly. "Several miles west of the kingdom... something physical..."

The larger man shrugged. "Hey, It might just be the Snow Creature coming down from the North Mountain. I don't know if he had been causing trouble before, but there have been stories of him occasionally throwing trees down slopes."

To both men's surprise, the woman's face twisted into a frown, cracking her facade a little, although she never addressed exactly what she was so concerned about. But eventually, she gave the two men a small smile, and curtsied with a dip of her head in gratitude. "Thank you for your time, gentlemen. I wish you two a good day." She grasped onto the hem of her cape, turned on her heels with a dramatic swish of the blue fabric, and briskly walked out of the market without another word.

The two friends were left flabbergasted, especially the shorter man in particular. He found himself raising his voice out once, against his better judgment to just stay silent. "Miss!"

The woman slowed to a halt, and turned sideways to reveal that her faint freckles vanished to flushed cheeks; she was shivering now, but whether or not it was out of the cold or embarrassment was unclear.

Can I at least get a name?" he shouted.

"...My name is Elizabeth. It was a pleasure meeting you."

* * *

><p>Hiding Elsa's identity was not supposed to be a challenge. The entire point of the plan was to serve as an aid, a way to surpass the Queen's fear of attention by allowing her to enter the town unnoticed. Afterwards, she was supposed to revert to her original appearance and seek information as she please alongside with Anna and Kristoff. Once everything was carried out, they were to return to the Palace before nightfall, or else the opportunity to stop the Spøkelse short could be lost.<p>

That was the intended course of action, but things were already beginning to go off the rails by the very first step. Even choosing a disguise became a point of contention between the troll and the Queen. Elsa wanted to dress in extreme contrasts, hoping the selection of clothes would be as far removed from her true identity as possible. She even suggested borrowing a pair of trousers and pass off as a man, much to Helge's bewilderment; the troll believe such actions were considered complete waste of time and effort. The lack of secrecy concerning the makeover was also not helping:Passing servants, Kai included, occasionally popped in to give their own, often absurd, advice.

In the end, the two schemers finally came to a compromise. Following Helge's advice, Elsa picked the name "Elizabeth" from one of her books as an alias, and dressed in a spare casual outfit given to her by a generous servant. Consisting of a dark cyan vest and frill-less dress with white floral trimmings, it was a far cry from the sparkling ice gowns that made the Snow Queen so recognizable. In addition, Elsa donned a deep blue traveling cloak that fell just below her knees, latched on with a simple brooch. Technically, it wasn't necessary for the one person who wouldn't be bothered by the chill outside, but the Queen felt much more secure with something falling from her shoulders. To cement her illusion, Elsa dyed her hair black using a solution mixed with charcoal, before having it tied back in a bun and veiled with a simple bonnet. Strands of silvery hair still shone quite clearly in her bangs, but passing workers complimented her new looks well enough. Besides, the disguise was never intended to be foolproof or long-lasting. Nothing was really done to change Elsa's face, her hair could revert back to platinum-blonde with some rubbing, and the alias "Elizabeth" was chosen simply because it would have been easier to memorize.

After nearly an hour of cutting remarks, light debate, and wisps of wintry air thrown around in frustration, the woman who walked out of the Palace Gates late in the morning was no longer Queen Elsa of Arendelle, but a pale-skinned, raven-haired lady named "Elizabeth."

_Elizabeth_ took the first step that placed her firmly inside the town, and looked around with awe at the crowd of gathering patrons and townsfolk. She listened to gossip about mundane subjects never relating to royalty, hearing a woman praising the pleasantly cool day. She then glanced at a group of children dancing to music played by a band nearby, their nimble little feet tracing circles along the pavement. She could nearly taste the scents of food wafting through the air, and loved the sea breeze caressing her gently on the cheeks.

_Elizabeth_ was positively magical. For once in the Queen's entire life, from birth all the way up to the present, absolutely no one paid her any attention. No one was there to gawk at her, or to whisper curiously behind her back, or judge her with those pressing gazes that made her twitch and itch uncontrollably. For once, she can walk down a street all by herself, and no one would turn their heads around and loudly wonder what on Earth she was doing there. For once, she can run, she can observe other people, she can stand in the middle of a horde in peace, and not a single person would pay her any mind. Elsa was so gleeful upon this revelation, it required her long experience at self-restraint to not dance all the way to Arendelle's harbor.

Suddenly, Elsa's mind came to an abrupt halt; she had passed that one major hurdle, the fear of attention that was preventing her from leaving the castle in the first place. She slowly turned her head to look behind her; the Palace seemed so distant now, with common folk coming and going without a single glance at the monarch standing among them. In their minds, she was just another person like them, perhaps a little odd-looking, but overall nobody to concern themselves over.

In other words, Elsa was anonymous.

This was the moment the Queen was supposed to interview people, asking for what was going on both outside and within Arendelle's borders. This was the moment when she must turn back into the Snow Queen, and deduce the best course to protecting the kingdom from the incoming Spøkelse.

Elsa grasped onto the clip that kept her cerulean cape in place, her hand shivering uncontrollably. She looked left at the townsfolk, and then to the right, imagining the same people all focusing their eyes on her like countless pairs of burning stars, until she had to physically brace herself against their stares in fear of being swept away.

And then... the shivering stopped. Queen Elsa's body relaxed, and she turned around to walk deeper into the town with a swish of her cape.

She will still do her best to protect the people of Arendelle, but she wasn't going to cast her magic anytime soon.

For once, _Elizabeth_ has tasted anonymity, and she wasn't going to give it up just yet.

* * *

><p>Elsa collapsed in a heap onto a bench that looked out into the harbor. The sun was still high, valiantly trying to shine through the veil of grey clouds stretching from one end of the horizon to the next, but its faint circular outline is only visible with enough squinting and imagination. There was still plenty of time before nightfall, but the day wasn't getting any younger.<p>

This is completely useless, Elsa thought to herself. Why did I even bother going out? Anna and Kristoff made the plan sound so simple, and yet…

Elsa sighed. When she was visibly a Queen, she hardly ever considered the finer points of initiating conversations and interviews; most people came to her with their requests instead. She possessed little complaint about this arrangement, and normal circumstances would never place Elsa outside of this comfort zone.

But now... now that Elsa was pretending to be an ordinary girl for once, she found herself thrust into new territory, a world where one has to work hard and obnoxiously just to have a stranger notice them, much less carry an actual interrogation. It wasn't as if _Elizabeth_ served as a magic feather either; Elsa still felt chills come up her spine in the presence of an audience. She dreaded the inevitable moments whenever people make eye contact with her, accident or not, and she could barely bring herself to tap a pedestrian by the shoulder at her boldest.

Even more frustrating, the Arendelle Market Square was proving to be a rather fruitless location; hardly any of the few people Elsa managed to contact had seen anything strange or questionable. Besides that one tidbit about some disturbance located west of Arendelle from the two gentlemen at the Market, she made no breakthroughs whatsoever. A sizable number even mentioned that they've never left the kingdom before, despite openly expressing their desire to explore.

_Well, that makes more than the two of us..._ Elsa thought dryly, as she gazed at the grey waters shimmering beyond the horizon. _If only I could fly and explore the land for myself, then none of this would have been necessary._

_Is... is it necessary for me to be here in the first place? I mean, what about Kristoff and Anna? I wonder how those two are doing..._ Elsa huffed short breath out of slight amusement. _Surely, those two would be having a much easier time with this than I am. Kristoff had years of experience in the ice harvesting business; no doubt he would feel right at home with this task. I don't even need to think about how Anna would approach people._

_You could just change back to who you are, you know. Become the Snow Queen, everyone will flock and answer your demands like normal._

Something crackled softly beneath her fingertips. The disguised Queen looked down to see spiderweb-like formations of frost crawling outwards onto the wood. She pursed her lips, using her thumb to wipe away the ice with a bit of mental effort.

_You know I can't do that. I'm still nothing but a coward._

Elsa leaned back against the bench in disappointment, watching the mass of grey clouds swirling high above as she listened to the rhythmic slapping and splashes of the harbor, which intermingled with the squawks of soaring seagulls.

But then, something barely audible, and yet quite harsh, burst into the caws and the splashes, a series of grunts and wheezes that seemed to be approaching closer with every passing second. Elsa's ears perked at the strange noise, and she turned her head around just in time to view a person closing the door to a building that had seen better days. The shelves out front that should have products on display were depressingly empty, and the wood was in clear need of a new coat of paint. If it weren't for the sign, Elsa could have never guessed the place was supposed to be a flower shop.

_A Florist?... Well, it's not as if I'm overloaded with too much information already._

Elsa stood up from the bench and stretched, having made the decision to ask just one more person before calling it quits. Her expectations were low from the beginning, but it wouldn't hurt to ask for more information where she can hopefully get it. Her borrowed shoes hit the pavement in a brisk pace as she stepped in front the flower shop, before grasping the door handle, and gently pushing it open without a sound.

Inside the store, Elsa bore witness to a miserable sight; while she had never entered a flower shop before, she would expect one to be stocked full of vibrant colors and beautiful orchids, complete with a cornucopia of rich scents and sweet fragrances. Instead, the interior of the store was just as miserably empty as the outside, with a faint but unmistakably musty smell hanging in the air. True, there were a few bouquets and beautifully-painted ceramic pots, but they only accentuated the loneliness of the place with their scarcity.

Nevertheless, The disguised Queen bent over to observe one of the bouquets displayed on a rack. She was surprised when the plethora of colors and scents took her breath away; the arranged flowers were absolutely stunning, looking more like handcrafted works of art and affection than mere cultivation. These orchids could have been pulled directly out of romantic paintings and infused with the finest perfumes, although Elsa knew that these were the genuine article.

"Hello again."

Elsa's cheeks flushed, and she snapped straight upwards in a mixture of alarm and embarrassment. Flicking her head from side to side, she eventually realized no one was actually inside the room with her. Rather, her blue eyes fell upon a partially opened wooden door standing behind the shop counter, no doubt leading into the storage. The soft voice that greeted herself, apparently forgetting to close the door tightly, continued to slip through the open space. "Here's the topsoil I got for you guys, straight from the foot of the North Mountain!"

_The North Mountain. _Elsa's lips curled upwards into a smile. _Maybe coming here was not such a bad idea after all._

"It's been a little..." the voice sighed, accompanied with the sound of heavy shuffling. "It's been difficult, lately. I think I can still manage for now, but I don't know for how much longer." There was a slight pause. "...Yes, I know it's about time that I replace everything, but what's the point?"

Elsa stood from the where she knelt, and lightly walked up to the counter. She craned her neck, peeking inside the partially opened door until she was able to have a good view. Indeed, the door lead into a storeroom of sorts, and a rather large one at that. There was little difference in appearance between it and the main shop, with wooden shelves and pots stacked into columns and rows. Unfortunately, the lack of apparent colors and life persisted.

However, that wasn't what caught the Queen's eye; standing in the middle of the storage was the owner of the voice, a waifish brunette whose back was turned against the door in front of her presumed audience. Her hair was clumsily tied back with tangled strands of hair jutting out of her bun, and her dress made her appear more underfed than anything else. Paradoxically, the girl also swung around a heavy-looking sack the same size as her with ease, scattering debris on the floor that might have been dirt.

Judging by the way the girl spoke, Elsa had expected another person to be in the same storeroom. Then again, the fact that no one seemed to talk back should have tipped her off. The brunette bent over to lift another bag of dirt, finally revealing just who she could have been speaking to…

Elsa blinked. The person the petite girl was talking to the entire time was... a row of flowers. This act was so reminiscent of another girl, one who had also developed a penchant for talking to inanimate objects in her youth, Elsa couldn't help but gasp.

The florist abruptly snapped her head up, and she whipped her head out of the doorway. Her brown eyes met with Elsa's blue, their gazes locking with each other in astonishment. Seconds ticked by in uncomfortable silence; the Queen watched in fascination as the brunette's eyes widened in horror, looking more and more like a cornered animal terrified beyond belief. As a matter of fact, the girl was obviously torn between either rushing to shut the door, or to pretend as if nothing had happened.

Something clicked inside the girl's head, and she slowly exited the storeroom with trembling feet. "W-welcome." she stammered, her legs quaking weakly. Her face was a complete shade of cherry red, bashful for having someone discover her little habit. "Please excuse me... J-just forget the last five minutes! I-I'm not weird, really!"

A smile spread wide on Elsa's face, which clashed poorly against the sympathy she now felt for the poor girl. For some reason, this only made the florist shiver. "I have a sister who speaks to paintings on walls, and a friend who sings to his pet. I don't have any right to call you strange."

The girl's shoulders released its tension, and she patted her chest in relief. Taking a breath to fully compose herself, she walked up to the counter and tried to smile back, with admittedly mixed results. "Are you-... Are you here to buy something?"

It suddenly occurred to the Queen that speaking to a person one-on-one was much easier than selecting someone from a crowd. For once, Elsa's voice came out strong as she answered back, saying: "I'm sorry, but no. I'm here because I overheard you saying you came from the North Mountain. Would you care if I asked you some questions?"

"Um..." the girl squeaked. "Okay."

The Queen sighed out of relief, now that this conversation was going so smoothly. "When you were there, have you seen anything strange?" The Queen paused for a second in thought, her mind flashing back to the first and only lead she had learned since she left the castle. "Have you heard about anything coming from the Western Passage as well?"

The florist bit her lip, and she glanced sideways while fidgeting with her hands. "No... I hadn't seen anything since I came down. I'm sorry, but I don't think I will be much help to you."

_That... that's it?_

The florist's last words unfortunately had quite the effect on Elsa; her heart deflated like a balloon with all of its air petering out, and she slunk away with slumped shoulders in defeat. As she put her hand on the brass handle, she cast a last look at the brunette before leaving. Elsa made a double-take, resisting the urge to rub her eyes in disbelief. For in the briefest of seconds, Elsa imagined she was gawking at the image of a platinum-blonde woman standing all by herself in the dilapidated store, her dark eyebrows dipped in sorrow. She immediately came to the conclusion that someone had placed a mirror as a practical joke, but then remembered she was supposed to be in disguise.

Blinking rapidly, the mirror image of Elsa flickered back into the brunette's normal, unaffected face. Even so, what the girl wore was still more than familiar: After all, how many years had Elsa seen that very same expression in the mirror?

_That... was pretty bizarre. You should leave quickly, before any more of this imagery pop up uninvited._

Elsa was more than willing to agree, her mind already forming plans to confront Arendelle's Downtown this time, where the majority of the kingdom's businesses and services set up shop. Hopefully, that location would come with better results than the Marketplace.

So, it was to her great wonder when her feet opted to remain frozen within the flower shop's boundaries instead, like glue stuck to the soles of her borrowed shoes. She tried budging, but her efforts were to no avail.

_What are you doing, Elsa? You have more info to ask from others, and she clearly has nothing of value._

Elsa ignored her internal voice with a shake of her head, and instead turned around with a flow of her cerulean cape, retracing her steps until she was finally back to square one; She couldn't leave, and she was coming to a comprehension on why. Resting her hands on the counter-top, she watched as the florist now tucked her chin in, breaking out into a cold sweat as her face turned scarlet.

"What's your name? Elsa asked, in a hopefully amicable tone.

The girl licked her dried lips. "It's... it's Ingrid." she replied. A-and your name is...?"

"It's Els-" Elsa coughed. _Remember, this name was supposed to be easier to keep in your head, dummy._ "It's Elizabeth. My name is Elizabeth."

The girl raised her eyebrows in amazement, her expression already beginning to brighten. "I think 'Elizabeth' is a very pretty name... You know, you speak really well for someone who came from another country!"

It was Elsa's turn to raise her eyebrows. After all, that was a strange conclusion to draw upon, to say the least. Then again, _Elizabeth_ was obviously an English name; no doubt, Ingrid had picked up on that nuance. Therefore, after a split-second of deliberation, she finally dipped her chin in confirmation.

Ingrid the Florist nodded back. "So... why did you come back, Elizabeth?"

"I just think that you're in need of some cheering up." Elsa's memories briefly flashed to all the events in the last 24 hours; the embarrassments, the conversations, the friendships, and the lessons learned that now carried her all the way here. "Would you like to have a little chat?"

Ingrid stared at Elsa in shock. "Wh-what?"

"I've recently learned that the best way to sort out your own feelings is to have a discussion about it with someone." Elsa tilted her head to a side for a moment, adding, "Preferably, with a friend who can understand you very well."

The florist began picking at her fingernails, as she averted her eyes away from this welcoming "foreigner", this lady cloaked in blue who just decided to pay attention to this girl who now runs an almost derelict shop. " You want to... to be my friend?" she whispered. "Is it... is it okay for me to say yes? I mean, you look like you have to go somewhere, Elizabeth..."

_Elizabeth_ chuckled a little dryly. "I don't think I'll make too much a difference whether or not I head outside anyway. The least I can do is serve as a better listener than your flowers."

* * *

><p>As a person who has had her fair share of neurotic episodes, Elsa understood that her newly-made friend needed a comfortable place to relax and warm up to others. So she suggested that they sit together on the bench outside of the flower shop. After all, it provided a fantastic view of the fjord, even with a sky as cloudy and gray as today. The air was fresh, and the faint clamor coming from the Market provided some decent white noise. Overall, it would've been more comfortable there than back inside the tiny and desolate flower shop. Just sitting there and watching the harbor, with the ships ringing their bells as they come and go, it was lovely indeed.<p>

The caped lady stared out at the ebb and flow of the ocean waves, reminiscing the flowers grown at the garden back home, where she occasionally took promenades at night. They were beautiful and exotic of course, having been selected from all over the world by professional botanists, and yet they appeared wooden, fake, or just plain dried in comparison to the few orchids available in that little store.

"Say..." Elsa began, sitting up on her side of the bench.

"Yes, Elizabeth?"

"How come the flowers you sell are so incredible?"

Ingrid stared coyly at her new friend. "Huh?"

"I've seen some really impressive blossoms from where I live, and yet the stuff you have back at your shop there is incredible!" Elsa smiled at the girl sitting beside her, who was now tucking her chin in and mumbling something in gratitude. "You know, I'd really like to know how you do it. Is there a special farm, or...?"

Ingrid lifted her head a little to gaze at Elsa with earnest eyes. "Can you... can you keep a secret?"

"Of course, Ingrid."

The florist took a breath, and was just about to open her mouth. But immediately, she snapped it shut before a sound could escape from her throat. She averted her gaze elsewhere, picking away at her fingernails with increasing frequency. "No, nonono..." she murmured. "It's too stupid to say."

Elsa playfully elbowed Ingrid in the arm, a gesture she'd been using around people like Kristoff lately as a display of affection. "Come on, tell me!" she prodded

"Okay, okay!" The petite florist closed her eyes and sucked in a breath, cringing in tepid anticipation before even uttering a word. "It's..." she began with a squeak. "I... Iseethemasmyfriends!" With a pained expression, Ingrid braced herself away from _Elizabeth_ as she peeked with one eye open, patiently awaiting for her to begin taunting and jeering.

The disguised Queen stared blankly at the florist, and then sighed in a mixture of sympathy and exasperation as the realization struck her. _Elizabeth_ rested a cool hand on Ingrid's shoulder, a sign of assurance and trust to regain the brunette's confidence. "I've already said that I have no right to laugh at you. In fact, I think it's wonderful that you can find companionship in your flowers."

"Well..." The brunette lightly brushed the cloaked lady's hand aside to tilt her head up, gazing absentmindedly at the gray clouds swimming overhead. "These flowers," she said hesitantly, "they were my life's work. I breed them, grow them, arrange them, trim them all by myself. The flowerpots were also of my own handiwork.

"It was what I was good at. It was what I am only capable of doing." She turned to face Elsa, her eyes brighter than usual. "As a kid, making friends with other people wasn't easy... Plants, however, were much easier to deal with. They didn't care that I'm shy or quiet or... odd, they didn't judge me for who I am. They just behaved like flowers. They needed me, and didn't ask too much in return. Until recently, I even got paid for sprucing them up to something people could want!"

Ingrid blinked rapidly, and buried her face in her hands out of shame for this tirade. "Elizabeth, I... thank you for listening. I didn't think you would continue to stick around after... after see just how _stupid_ I am." she said, emphasizing that word with a feeble waggle of her fingers.

Elsa didn't say anything, mostly because she was thinking hard on what could give this young lady such a crippling lack of self-worth... and how that would lead to a habit so eerily similar to her sister's friendship with portraits, or Kristoff's familial bonds with nonhumans and reindeer. As someone wanted to understand her family more, this similarity intrigued her beyond all else. After all, they were hardly birds of a feather; Anna was a bundle of bright energy and optimism even during her lonelier years, Kristoff was coarse but very level-headed, and this young lady looked frail enough to be easily crushed by a stiff breeze, in spite of her previous display of physical strength. Besides an evident lack of companionship, there was nothing that could link them together so easily.

On second thought... Perhaps it was _because_ of their loneliness that made them share this particular trait. People like them would sometimes impose friendships onto substitutes to compensate, not that Elsa saw it as something to be mocked; she actually admired that kind of imagination, because it meant others like Anna could sidestep around their solitude while maintaining a good heart and a bright smile. How was the Queen supposed to compare to that, when she had spent thirteen years doing _nothing_ in comparison?

In the middle of Elsa's internal reasoning, she felt a gentle and warm weight pressing softly against her side, sending a light tingle up her spine. Out of curiosity, she decided to glance to the source, recognizing that Ingrid was now leaning against her with her eyes closed, her face red as a cherry.

"Are you alright, Ingrid? You look a little sick..."

Ingrid eyes snapped open, and she was left sputtering in Elsa's presence. "No, no, It's nothing serious! I just..." she mumbled, squirming a little in place, "I just think this bench is a little small for us. I-I kinda forgot to tell you that, sorry."

Elsa blinked. She didn't have too much room on her side of the seat herself. For a moment, she considered asking Ingrid for whether she should find a different spot, if Ingrid was left so uncomfortable. She couldn't bring herself to raise the subject, though; the feeling of having someone lean on her for support just felt downright nostalgic. Now, why would that be?

_Ah, right... _this is what Anna used to do when the two were younger, when the little pigtailed Princess still looked up to Elsa like the ever-dependable big sister she was supposed to be. In all actuality, Anna still leans against her sister at times ever since their reunion whenever they spend time together, with others like Kristoff or Olaf occasionally joining in at their own whims. Elsa loved these signs of affection, almost craved for these signs that she was no longer alone in the world, but she couldn't help but believe that her former status had atrophied after thirteen years of neglect.

Elsa's mouth spread into a wide smile at this girl who leaned against her, excited by a sudden insight; Ingrid clearly looked up to her as _Elizabeth_, just as much as how Anna used to when they were children. It didn't matter that this girl in question was a complete stranger just a few minutes before, she appreciated finally feeling like a someone who can provide support after missing out on being a big sister for so long.

"Elizabeth?" asked Ingrid, looking from where she rested.

"Yes?"

"Um... When you asked me earlier if I had heard anything strange... I was kind of lying." Ingrid looked away, her expression almost fearful, "Please, don't be mad!"

Elsa's heart skipped a beat; she wasn't angry at all, she was ecstatic. This glimmer of hope reignited the embers within her, already kicking her brain back into overdrive in preparation for her initial plans to explore Arendelle. "Tell me more, Ingrid!" she blurted out.

Ingrid stared wide-eyed at the excited Queen, her mouth slightly agape in alarm. "I-I-I never saw anything myself! It's just- at least, I've heard a lot of people who I recognized from my deliveries talking this morning. They discussed plenty about the western borders, so I'm sure you'll find something! I just need to head back inside and pull up their names and addresses."

Elsa could hardly contain her excitement; she was a hair's width away from leaping off her seat and squeezing Ingrid dry in gratitude. But then... despite her elation, something tugged at the back of Elsa's mind, throwing her into a halt. She snuck a glance behind her, remembering just how run-down and barren the little shop was. Why would a person like Ingrid, who apparently lived by herself and probably knew a thing or two on running a flower business, let her store look so desolate?

"Ingrid... when was the last time you've restocked your shop?"

The florist wilted like a dried flower, and she locked her fingers together to prevent them from crawling all over each other. "...Almost three weeks ago. I had to throw my flowers away." she answered softly, staring despondently out at the graying horizon.

Elsa's jaw dropped in complete shock. "But why? How could you do something like that?"

The florist turned back to Elsa, her eyes shimmering as if she was on the verge of tears. "I couldn't do anything to save them, ever since that horrid midsummer blizzard cast upon the land three weeks ago..."

_Oh... _Elsa gulped in what was hopefully discreet silence, and shifted her view to her hands and open palms. Fearful of having Ingrid discover her ice magic, The Snow Queen had suspected that spouts of wind and snow would decide to present themselves at the worst opportunity. So, when nothing of that sort manifested, Elsa felt and subsequently resisted the urge to clasp her hands in relief.

On the other hand, the florist took no notice about _Elizabeth's_ movements, instead continuing her story with hurt eyes. "It grew so cold... My flowers didn't stand a chance. All of my stock was exposed to the freezing air, dying of frost damage before I could do anything to salvage them. Those flowers-" she pointed back at the shop, "-it was too early for them to be harvested at the time. They were so young and small, the snow actually served to protect them from the worse of the cold. You know, l-like a blanket!" Ingrid made a raspy sound with her throat that evidently was intended to be a chuckle, but gave up halfway through to rub at her eyes instead. "S-so I decided, 'hey, now's a good time to call it quits!' you know? 'You've always wanted to sell flowers, you got to do so, might as well just go back home...'" She made yet another poor imitation of a laugh, making a face that wasn't quite a smile. "At least, I don't have to worry about money troubles and stress and pushy customers and all that other stuff anymore, at least I got to live my dream for a little while... That has to account for something, right? I should be happy!"

"...But you aren't happy, are you?" Elsa mentioned quietly.

Ingrid looked away.

Elsa's right eye twitched. _Was this truly... was this truly how far the extent of my actions went?_

_Hey, keep it together. This is just one screw-up that you can fix right here, right now._

"...I'm so sorry..." _Elizabeth_ said.

_For everything._ Elsa added.

She wasn't too sure just how much of it was condolences for her losses, or a part of the Snow Queen trying to take responsibility for her actions. She'd very much prefer if it was more of the latter, but she didn't want to reveal herself to Ingrid. How would the poor girl accept this sort of information? How was Elsa supposed to do that without blowing her cover?

And then, something clicked within Elsa's head; the answer came quickly and easily, almost insultingly so. Nevertheless, Elsa stood up from her bench to face the despondent florist, resting her cool hands on the florist's shoulders. "Ingrid, I know it's been tough for you recently. Honestly, quitting really is the easiest option to take." Elsa squeezed once, just to catch the brunette's attention. "That doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. I can personally tell you right here that giving up without a fight will only leave you with pain and regret."

The florist turned her head away from the woman in front of her. "And what makes you such an expert?"

Elsa exhaled through her nose in slight irritation. "Ingrid, look at me."

The girl slowly returned to facing the disguised Queen.

"When I was a girl, I didn't exactly have the best of childhoods." Elsa paused in consideration. "In retrospect, it wasn't that I didn't have a great childhood, but I wouldn't allow myself to." She swallowed hard, steeling herself for the next few words she was about to say. "...I hurt my family in a terrible accident. Because of that, I gave my life up entirely, not even trying once in _years _to search for love and happiness. One time, I even ran away from home!"

Ingrid gasped, and she covered her mouth in horror.

"I mindlessly threw away my future by pushing my family away, believing I couldn't hurt them any more than I already had... Of course, I've never been any more mistaken."

"B-but, you seem so gentle, and smart and kind and really pretty, and-"

"-Keep listening, Ingrid, I want you to keep this at heart." Within Elsa's memories, she recalled what happened three weeks ago, shortly after bolting through Arendelle's Woods and scaling up the North Mountain out of fear and desperation. "Until recently, I have done nothing but forfeit myself carelessly, not even realizing that the last person I could hope to see again, my sister, was still looking out for me the whole time. She too suffered from the midsummer blizzard, just like you. But, unlike me, she never even considered giving up and forgetting, even as I continued to reject and hurt her. Unlike me, she was able to keep living without regrets, and even succeeded in convincing me to stay and feel joy again, after so much pain and heartbreak.

"My sister never surrendered, even as life and people like me kept on pushing her down. She's been teaching me the same thing for the past three weeks... and now we couldn't be any happier! I... couldn't be any happier." Elsa waved a hand at the little shop behind Ingrid, with its racks and wooden shelves just waiting to sink under the weight of soil and blooms, with flowers patiently waiting for their owner to return to tending them, with its potential to become the most beautiful and gorgeous location in Arendelle. "_You _shouldn't surrender either, Ingrid. You love your job, right? Your flowers are your friends, right? I just know that you've got talent. If you can't convince yourself to get back on your feet, then know that someone is still there to support you!"

Ingrid stared at Elsa, completely wide-eyed and motionless. Her chin began wobbling and quaking, followed closely by her shoulders. A small whining noise emerged from within her, and her brown eyes began to quiver. She shut them as she choked, barely holding it together from Elsa's words. She wiped her nose with her sleeve, and promptly broke into tears.

"T-th-thank you so much for believing in me, Elizabeth!" she blubbered in-between sobs, covering her face with her hands. "E-excuse me, I don't want to embarrass you by crying here."

Elsa smiled sympathetically, somewhat regretful that she made someone cry. Spreading her arms out wide, she told Ingrid, "I think what you need is a decent hug for once- oof!"

Almost immediately, the girl tackled Elsa with surprising force, knocking the wind out of the disguised Queen. Ingrid's lithe arms wrapped around like a tight vise, almost relishing having someone between them. The girl was clearly starved of affection, and was all too happy to finally accept it. Elsa quickly returned the gesture herself, but not before reminding herself on how to breathe again.

"Elizabeth, you're so cold! Do you need to borrow something warm?"

Elsa's stomach dropped to the floor, and she coughed to give herself some time to think. "It's fine, Ingrid." Patting the florist on the back, she changed the subject by asking, "When you're ready, would you go back inside and give me those names you mentioned earlier?"

Ingrid's arms squeezed even tighter for a moment, but they finally relinquished their hold with some reluctance. The florist took a step back, her cheeks flushed a bright shade of lavender, and she beamed brightly for the first time in what seemed to be a while. "I'll be back, Elizabeth, you just wait outside!"

"I already am," Elsa responded cheerfully. "Make it quick." She watched happily as the florist hurried back to her shop, the hem of her dress flying wildly in haste. The disguised Queen never thought the outcome would end this well with Ingrid, but now she was glad to have taken the opportunity and make a friend out of it.

For some reason, a heavy weight loaded itself within Elsa's heart, leaving the disguised Queen very confused; what could possibly be the matter?

_You know, you can be rather cruel at times…_

Elsa frowned. _Wait, what?_

_You never told her your true identity. What she had just befriended wasn't you, but a mere mask that had worn its welcome for too long already. She doesn't even know that her so-called "friend" was responsible for nearly ruining her._

Elsa fumed, but she couldn't do anything about it; as much as she detested her second thoughts, the cynical byproducts of always living in fear for thirteen years, they had reason to back themselves up; indeed. from a certain point of view, she was wrong for pretending to be someone else. She never told the florist her identity, couldn't trust her enough to do so. The question is, what does that make Ingrid to her?

This only left a bitter taste in Elsa's mouth. Something has to be done, not matter how minor. Hesitantly, she reached for the wood of the bench, but almost immediately pulled back after telling herself the idea was absolutely moronic. She had to shake her head rapidly, brushing her mind free of her doubts, before grasping the bench with a force of will.

"I'm back!"

Elsa pulled her hand back and whipped her head to face the incoming florist. As a result, she was surprised to see that Ingrid returned without a list of names and records on hand. Rather, she carried a massive bouquet made of beautiful roses on each hand. The one on her left was richly colored with swollen bells as richly yellow as cream custard, while the other one was painted in a vivid shade of exotic lavender.

"Elizabeth!" Ingrid called out once more. "I know this sounds a little crazy, but I'm thinking about starting from scratch! These are some of the last remaining bouquets I have in stock, and I want to say thanks by giving them to you, so they can be appreciated as they should be!"

Elsa blinked in surprise, somewhat unsure of what to do; these flowers were absolutely stunning without a doubt, and likely costs a small fortune given Ingrid's expertise. However, the bouquets were also quite large, and she didn't know if she could even walk around town with them on hand, much less performing the task discreetly. "Ingrid, they're amazing..." _Elizabeth_ addressed, "but, I don't think I can accept them right now."

"Oh..." Ingrid's head tilted downwards, looking incredibly crestfallen. But, the florist's emotion returned back to chipper again within short notice. "Well, why don't you just come back later? They really are in need of a new home, you know."

Elsa rubbed her chin. "Hm... you know what, I guess I can take just one bouquet with me." She raised a finger, letting it drift in the air while she deliberated on her choice. In the end, the answer presented itself clearly. "...I think the yellow roses are especially beautiful. I'll take them."

To Elsa's puzzlement, Ingrid lowered the flowers she held in what might be disappointment.

"Are... are you sure? You don't want to take both of them with you?"

Elsa hesitated. "While I truly love the lavender ones, I feel that they ought to go to... someone else. I'd like to think that the yellow ones need me more."

Ingrid didn't seem to respond, so for a moment Elsa believed she had offended the florist too far for trying to imitate her habit. However, Ingrid finally smiled warmly, and stepped forward to present the yellow bouquet to _Elizabeth_. They were surprisingly less cumbersome than the disguised Queen expected, and they smelled absolutely wonderful.

"Hold on..." Ingrid said, lifting a finger. She fidgeted with something small within her fingers, and carefully tied a red silk ribbon around the stems of the bouquet. Elsa peeked from the side, seeing that the florist had attached a folded card normally used to write the names of their givers and recipients. Elsa's fingers flipped it open, revealing a list of different names and street addresses instead. In gratitude, Elsa used her free hand to embrace the brunette in a one-arm hug.

"We're-...we're still friends, right?" Ingrid asked shyly, after Elsa released her hold.

"Of course!"

"Well then... I sure hope we can see each other soon!" Ingrid exclaimed, waving farewell.

Elsa paused in thought, but quickly replied with a reassuring smile: "Me too, but don't be afraid to meet more people! I'm sure you can eventually others who will also become friends, just as you have met me!" With a flip of her blue traveling cloak, _Elizabeth_ dove into the moving public crowds towards the center of town, reading off the card that contained her list of leads.

Ingrid continued to wave farewell, long after Elsa had already disappeared back into the sea of commuters. "Farewell... Elizabeth." She turned to face back to her shop, seeing it filled to the brim with vibrant flowers and pottery, figments of her imagination, waiting to be fulfilled. All that was needed now is just to take first step into recovering what she had lost. Resting a hand on the bench, her mind spun with the hopes and dreams reinvigorated by a beautiful lady cloaked in blue.

"...Hm?" The point where her hand had touched was bitingly cold, sparking her curiosity. Bending down for a closer look, her eyes followed alien grooves and edges just short of invisible due to the poor lighting of the sky. They interlocked into patterns, forming minuscule whorls and webbing that spread outwards to form what seemed to be an elaborate flower insignia the size of her fist.

"Is this... frost?"

* * *

><p><strong>Alright, let me just <em>"zips" "rustle"<em> put on this flame-retardant suit...**

**Again, feel free to ask me any questions you have about the story, the characters, etc. It's really fun answering them.**

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen_.**


	17. Ch 17: Because of You

**Credit goes to RohnHazard for his diligent work as beta-reader, all rights belong to Disney, and Baymax looks like he was made of marshmallows.**

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><p><span>Chapter 17<span>

Because of You

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><p><em>Helge's Journal Observations, Passage No. 6:<em>

_According to Adam the Adventurer's records regarding the case of the citizens whose souls fell to the Spøkelse of Ravendall, their bodies remained capable of breathing even as their hearts stopped beating, their skin going ice-cold. In fact, the last two conditions belie the reality that the victims were indeed still alive as of Adam's writing._

_With regards to this, Grand Pabbie and the others have reason to believe that stripping a person of their soul puts them into what seems to be a deep, unrousable sleep, although the condition certainly won't last long; the victim is left defenseless and in need of nourishment, after all. In other words, the victim is on borrowed time._

_In the end, the greatest question that remains would be about how to save the victim. One obvious solution would be to ask the Spøkelse itself to release its grip on the soul; If the spirit was free, a reunion would've been eye-bleedingly simple. Although, I'm certain Hólmgeirr would be less than agreeable on that regard._

* * *

><p>"Hey Kristoff! Anna! Come on guys, you need to catch up!" Giggling to himself in delight, a little figure sprinkled snowflakes in all directions as he dashed madly through the crowd of shoppers and patrons. He skipped, dove, and wound around the stampede of legs and feet with astounding agility, all the while maintaining a bucktoothed grin as he continued a hair's width from being kicked to the ground. Fortunately for Olaf, the task was made much easier by the citizens of Arendelle. Three weeks were still not enough to desensitize to a walking, laughing snowman, so shoppers were quick to leap out of his way in a mixture of fascination and horror.<p>

Even so, Olaf continued to dance and twirl, absolutely adoring just how the snow flurry floating above him seemed to mimic his movements with the same vibrant energy. In fact, he was so absorbed in his little fun cloud, he hardly paid heed to where he was running towards. Eventually though, something as bright as the sun caught his peripheral vision, and he looked back down for a little investigation.

Olaf gasped in alarm: He was heading for a crash course towards a fire pit, its golden flames dancing and licking hungrily as it beckoned him to come forth. Sadly, the little golem was just a tad too late in ramming his feet to a stop, so he continued to slide full force towards his imminent doom.

Without warning, a massive hand lunged forward, diving through the air in the blink of an eye. Thick, callused fingers grabbed on to the twigs on Olaf's head, and pulled with a great yank just a split-second before the snowman could fall into the roaring flame. However, the snowman's inertia proceeded to drive the rest of his body forward, so Olaf bore witness to a view of his lower abdomen sweeping upwards from beneath him, his little legs waggling high in the air. He could feel the blazing heat envelop his feet as it attempted to steal him away, but his body swung back like a pendulum before even a drop was melted.

The hand released its grip on Olaf, allowing the snow figure to stand back on his own feet. He turned around to view his savior, a towering blond man who loomed overhead, his muscles and bulk pressed tightly against his shirt. Kristoff's dark brows furrowed, and his tone was nothing short of irritated. "Olaf, what on Earth were you trying to accomplish by running off like that? You nearly got yourself killed!"

Olaf's happy smile faltered under the mountain man's stern glare, and he found himself looking down in shame, his stick fingers fidgeting apologetically. "I'm sorry, Kristoff..." However, his mood made a complete turn to chipper, and he tilted his head back up with a grin. "At least I had you to save me! I promise I won't get myself hurt that way again, you betcha sir!" he added with a salute.

Kristoff's shoulders relaxed as he sighed in exasperation. "You really need to work on your self-preservation skills..." he muttered. While the snowman had repeatedly proven himself to be surprisingly durable, especially now that he has a personal snow cloud to ward away heat, roaring fires were still an obvious hazard for snow creatures. Besides, what's a large, active fire doing in the middle of a marketplace?

The ice harvester's large nose twitched, and he took in a deep sniff in bliss. A heavenly aroma hung in the air, emanating from the very same fire Olaf nearly extinguished with his own body. Upon closer inspection, it was actually situated below a grill to serve as a heat source, one which sizzled as fat melted away from cooking meats. They were absolutely appetizing to the eyes, smothered in juices and sauce that glistened even in the dull lighting of the day, emitting steam that could have rendered the air itself edible.

His mouth watering uncontrollably, Kristoff raised a hand to catch the vendor's attention. "Excuse me, ma'am!" he called out above the public chatter. "I'll take two of those meatball kebabs."

"Kristoff Bjorgman!"

The young man shuddered, his ears perking at this all-too familiar voice. As he handed money over to the vendor, he looked over his shoulder to see girl in lovely green summer dress stormed forward in powerful strides, her freckled face and lips pulled back in anger. Her copper pigtails swung back in forth vigorously, and her bright blue eyes were currently intense enough to drill holes into the ice harvester. "Olaf nearly got melted down to his buttons," his girlfriend scolded, "and you're just thinking about food!?"

Kristoff did his best to appear relaxed by chewing his kebab stick, but he broke out in a nervous sweat even in this chilly summer day. "It's alright, Anna." he assured hastily. "Olaf understood what he did was wrong. It's not gonna happen again, not on my watch."

Anna crossed her arms and peered at him through narrowed eyes, further unnerving Kristoff. She flicked her gaze to the side of the big man, watching Olaf as he stood a safe distance away from the fire. The snowman grinned, humming happily to himself as he held out his hands for warmth. How that was exactly supposed to work given his lack of nerve endings, nobody really figured that out.

Already, Anna's eyes had begun to soften; it was never really Kristoff's fault in the first place, and Olaf was perfectly safe and intact thanks to his reflexes. However, the Princess was a stubborn sort, the type unwilling to give up, so she tried sticking to her guns by crossing her arms and pointing her nose away.

Unfortunately for the redhead, the delicious and savory smell of the kebab sticks was too difficult to ignore. Her stomach, nasty little uncooperative thing it was, roared furiously and in droves, creating a sort of gurgling noise very reminiscent of gushing storm drains. The wave of sounds were so disruptive, they caused many a passerby, Olaf included, to turn and rubberneck like dogs hearing something curious.

"Quiet!" Anna rebuked her seething abdomen, her many freckles completely disappearing in shame. The stomach cheerfully rebelled with another series of rumbles.

All the while, Kristoff watched the redheaded princess with a knowing grin. Stretching the arm holding the untouched meatball kebab outwards, he pointed the snack to her as an offering, a sign of truce. Seconds ticked by the din of the marketplace, with a visibly uncomfortable Anna staring daggers at the mountain man.

Finally, the kebab quickly disappeared with a blurred swipe of Anna's arm. Still completely red in the face, the Princess maintained her eye contact with Kristoff as she tore into her food, but blinked rapidly as she chewed. "This… is actually pretty good." Anna admitted, finishing the rest with gusto.

Kristoff grinned from ear to ear. "So, you've forgiven me?"

Anna stepped closer to her boyfriend's side, before punched the mountain man lightly in the arm with a sunny grin. "There's nothing that needs forgiving." Turning herself around, she raised a free hand up to her mouth. "Hey Olaf! Why don't you come over here?"

The couple watched patiently as Olaf waddled his way over to them, at the same time waving and saying his farewells to both the vendor lady and the grill; he apparently didn't see a need to forgive the blazing cooking utensil either. With a smile, Anna offered a hand to the snowman, allowing him to hold onto it with a giggle. Immediately catching on, Kristoff did the same for Olaf's other hand, feeling the spindly twig-like fingers close around his palm. With Olaf safe and secure between them, the three now held hands as a couple would with a little child... if said child was oddly-shaped and made of snow, of course.

"So, uh..." Anna began. "Where were we again? Before a certain little scamp decided to run off?"

Olaf only giggled upon recognition of whom she was referring to.

"You mean the part where people coming from the woods directly west of here are feeling a case of the creeps?" Kristoff asked in confirmation, his smile fading. "Yeah, apparently from what we've learned so far, those lands have been trashed beyond all recognition by something big and nasty, scattering crystal shards everywhere in its rampage."

"Pfft..."

Kristoff glanced at the Princess in concern. "Look, Anna. I know that Marshmallow is just as much Elsa's creation as Olaf is right here." He gently shook the twig arm in emphasis. "That doesn't mean he's excepted from any sort of suspicion. A ghost can't just rip the ground apart and destroy roads by itself, much less one that Pabbie should have weakened by now."

Anna sighed. "I know, I know... Still, that's why we're asking questions around here to find out more, right?"

"Of course." Kristoff assured. "Who knows, maybe it's just a freak incident-"

"Hey guys!" Olaf's voice rang out from a distance. His little white body could be seen bouncing up and down in and out of the flood of market goers. "I don't know if this would be of any help, but I found someone who's been outside of Arendelle!"

Kristoff and Anna looked at each other, their eyebrows raised in surprise. The two could still feel the snowman's stick hands squeezing tightly on theirs, but when they shifted their views downwards to check, the couple saw only disembodied limbs that maintained their grips. Unbeknownst to them, the snowman had freed himself while the two weren't paying attention, scuttling away sans his arms as they remained blissfully unaware of his great escape.

While Olaf running off _again _would have been a severe strain on both his friends' nerves at this point, the news he brought only brought hope, and the two counted themselves lucky for this sudden opportunity. "Toss me his other hand!" the redhead cried excitedly. "No wait, too much time!" Instead, she opted to simply snatch it away from the ice harvester, and gave chase to the rest of Olaf's body while a stunned Kristoff lagged behind.

Anna's eyes darted left and right, scouring the area for a hint of the white snowman. Within seconds, she caught a glimpse of a bucktoothed grin adorning a prominently orange carrot nose, bouncing up and down directly where she was headed. Her feet skidded to a stop, and she looked around to find herself in the Downtown section of Arendelle. In front of her was Olaf, who was now happily flicking his head at a large kiosk behind him. Her grip on Olaf's twiggy arms loosened, allowing them to squirm themselves free, as she approached the kiosk for closer inspection. She quickly identified it as a tailor's shop. Peering inside, countless lengths of fabric, decorated richly with dynamic patterns and dyes one would normally need exotic flowers to see in real life, hung all over on racks made to emphasize their quality and color choices. If one knew where to look, the variety inside was incredible: ranging from robes, to sewing materials, to carpet rugs, to artistic tapestries.

In the midst of the displayed fabrics, a kindly stick of a middle-aged woman, one who was a bulging nose and a cackling smile away from appearing less "kindly" and more traditionally "hag-like", popped out, startling the princess. She smiled politely, but it grew immensely wide upon seeing Olaf celebrating the return of his hands. Evidently, the woman had already accustomed herself well to the snowman's presence.

"Hullo!" Olaf chirped, waving his restored hand for all it was worth.

"Hello again, little man." The woman replied. "Such a rare weather we're having today, isn't it?"

"Sure was, ma'am. Hey, why don't you tell Princess Anna what you were talking about a couple minutes ago!"

The older woman's eyes widened in shock, and she made a double-take at the redhead, realization striking her as if someone just walked right up and socked her in the chin. "Oh, Your Highness!" she exclaimed, resting a hand on her chest. "Well, I certainly feel quite important right now!"

Anna blushed. "I-I see."

The tailor nodded eagerly. "I was just entertaining your little friend here with a story about my son. You see, he recently came from his trip outside of Arendelle, so he's had plenty of adventures out of state before finally returning home yesterday! Would you care to have a listen?"

Anna swallowed, leaning closer to the counter-top. "Actually... I'd like to know if he'd seen anything coming into Arendelle."

The woman's cheer extinguished abruptly, and she pursed her lips. "...I don't have too much to say about that, actually. There's... not really much I can guarantee that isn't a fib." she muttered in disappointment.

"Can you at least tell me anything? Anything at all?" Anna implored.

"Well... He's such a sweet young man, but he never really thought about anything besides himself. He wasn't too much the worker either, so I knew that _something_ had been eating away at him when he returned home, gave one look at me, and then hugged me tightly, saying such strange things like how he'll never leave me alone. Then, he proceeded to clean the entire house spotless!" She frowned in contemplation, and then gave a shake of her head. "While it's a nice change in pace, I don't know if I should like it or not. I tried asking him, but he just said it grew really, really cold just as he was about to cross the bridge over the Gorged Rim. He says there's nothing more, but I don't believe him."

A heavy silence laid itself between the shopkeeper and the Princess, while Olaf turned from one person to the next in confusion. "...I'm sorry I cannot tell you a better tale, Your Highness," the tailor finally said.

Anna, who had been quiet because she was actually trying not to think out loud for once, snapped out of her mulling and held out her hands in protest. "Nonono, I thought it was fantastic!" she exclaimed. "Top-notch! I just have a lot to think about, that's all..."

"Oh..." The tailor said, her voice trailing off. Then, she straightened herself to the proper posture of a saleswoman, and waved a hand at the cornucopia of wares displayed in the shop behind her. "Would you care to purchase something while you think?"

"Well, I'll take three meters of that red fabric then, ma'am."

Anna blinked. She certainly didn't say anything, and Olaf looked just as confused as her. She turned around behind her, coming face-to-face with a smiling Kristoff. "There you two are!" he called. "Looks like you found something new."

Anna nodded eagerly, happy that her boyfriend had managed to catch up the two. However, as she watched Kristoff hand his money over in exchange for a neatly-folded piece of cloth, she couldn't help but scratch her head in puzzlement. Something just wasn't right about the ice harvester at the moment, but she couldn't put a finger on it. Was it because he seemed to be smiling a little too often, or was it because she hasn't noticed him bargaining even once since they entered town?

"Kristoff?" Anna asked suspiciously. "What's going on?"

"Hm? Oh..." Kristoff flicked his eyes away from the Princess, seemingly focused on Olaf shaking hands with the tailor before saying his goodbyes. He flashed another strange grin, and said: "You know I'm rather fond of the color red, Anna. Since Helge came over to stay for a bit, sewing something up with this shouldn't take too long. Perhaps I can work up a nice scarf for you, or..."

Anna didn't smile back. Rather, she raised a hand to the ice harvester's broad shoulder, patting it gently. "Really? For someone who's trying to help save a kingdom, you seemed oddly relaxed and easygoing about this whole thing. If I didn't know better, I'd thought this would just be another date!"

Kristoff's eye twitched at the word, and his face flushed a deep shade of pink. Scratching the back of his head, he developed a sudden interest in watching Olaf vigorously shake hands with the tailor before saying goodbye.

"What's the matter, Kristoff?" Anna repeated.

The mountain man raised his hands up in defeat. "I'm sorry about how I'm acting Anna, but… look, I've learned a long time ago that getting all moody and worried over something inevitable is pretty useless. Just got to grit your teeth, and walk with your best step forward."

Anna chuckled slightly. "But, if what you said was true, then why have you been buying stuff here and there as if nothing was wrong?"

Seconds passed by in relative silence. Kristoff didn't say anything in retort. He looked incredibly unsure of himself, like a child who had been caught red-handed. Finally, the ice harvester became incredibly despondent, and gazed down at Anna with pained eyes. Slowly, he walked forward step by step, eventually looming over her with his height and silhouette. He raised his arms, and then wrapped themselves around Anna's body into an embrace that only grew tighter. "This…" Kristoff whispered quietly, "this might be the last thing we do before… before everything goes south."

Anna twitched at those words, suddenly empathizing with the worry and the anxiety hidden beneath them. Kristoff's previously roundabout behavior made sense to her now; this man had spent most of his time out in the wilds with only a reindeer by his side, not having made a genuinely human companion until he had met Anna. Now that she was a prime target for a rampaging Spøkelse…

Some people would have ran away from such a fate, or perhaps fall down to their knees to pray endlessly. Some would try to bargain with themselves, take out their anger and their frustration on others as catharsis, or outright shut themselves away with plugged ears until the world collapsed around them.

Anna was not like any of those people. If she was ever going to go down, it wouldn't ever happen without a fight.

Looking up at the massive presence that was Kristoff, she wriggled a hand free from his hug before lifting it high, laying it on the back of the ice harvester's neck. She pulled him towards herself, with the young man obediently following along by craning his head down low, low enough that she could see his soft brown eyes without needing to look upwards.

"Kristoff, this isn't the man that I've fallen in love with three weeks ago." Anna began. "Since when did you ever stop believing in yourself and everyone else?"

Kristoff choked. "When did I eve-..." He stopped himself, the gears in his head working into overdrive. A smile was brought to his face, full of hope and security. "You're right, Anna. We might be in danger, but we're used to that kind of thing, aren't we? Of course there's no need to treat this day as our last." Laughing a little, he released his hold on the Princess. "I sure sounded like an idiot there, didn't I? Being a lousy excuse of a boyfriend and all."

Anna smiled cheerfully. "Don't say things like that, you've done plenty for me and the kingdom already! Even Elsa believes that you're a good man!"

The ice harvester's eyes brightened, and he stood just a little taller, a little more confident with himself. "Thanks for everything, Anna." He paused a little, scratching his chin as he mulled over what to discuss of next. "Say, what did you learn anyway?"

Anna nodded affirmatively, clicking her heels together while swinging her arms in a mock salute, imitating the messengers she occasionally saw coming in and out of the Palace. "Unfortunately for that tailor's son, he might have been close enough to the Spook to be attacked by it, or… something, at the Gorged Rim. That would obviously mean-"

* * *

><p>"...the Spøkelse is now within Arendelle's southwestern borders." Elsa noted to herself, the yellow rose bouquet bobbing up and down with every step. "Still, that doesn't answer too much, as there are multiple trails and trade routes that run through the western regions of the kingdom. Too many of them also leads to the Western Passage, which I know had been mysteriously wrecked. Now, which one could the Spøkelse be in?..."<p>

As grave a matter as this whole monologue was, the disguised Snow Queen couldn't help but feel a little cheer, invigorated by this flow of information now running through her head. The card Ingrid gave her was practically a godsend; if only the petite florist was around, Elsa would give her another hug in gratitude.

Elsa's blue eyes scanned the card tied to the bouquet's stems. Not only had she learned so much, but she was also nearing the end of her name list. There were the inevitable instances of duplicate information across several witnesses, but she still made good progress all the same. And yet, the Queen wasn't so sure about what she ought to do afterwards, hoping she could think of something before she must return to the castle. But at that moment, it was just business as usual.

The next person written on the card went by the name of "Sigurd." If the florist had written correctly, the man should be living somewhere on the street she was at. Elsa looked up from the card, reading the displayed signs on buildings to herself: "There's 'Felt and Fabric Workshop'... 'Sverre's Toybox'... Petter's Physical Treatments and Therapies: Bleeding Finally Discredited'... and 'Sigurd's Steel, Silver, and other Metalwork Smithy.' There you are."

The shop in question was a rather wide but not very tall building, rising only a single story before closing off with a sloping roof. It would have looked more at home out in the countryside, rather than at the center of an active and bustling city. Even so, Elsa knew it was the right place; the directions on the card was correct, and she hadn't seen any other shops or residences that contained the same name.

The Queen made quick glances from side-to-side, suspecting someone might be tailing her out of sheer curiosity. Then, she resisted the urge to slap herself in the forehead; she was still pretending to be a raven-haired woman named _Elizabeth_, not the Queen of Arendelle running around in broad daylight. She reapplied her focus back to the shop, and then to the door. She inhaled, sucking in as much air as her lungs could permit, then exhaled, releasing all of the air in one go. As of today, this little ritual had become the go-to method for preparing for the inevitable attention and speaking to others. The technique proved borderline useless when it came to large crowds, with the curious gazes and attentive faces of strangers. For a simple conversation though, the boost was much appreciated.

Pumped up and as ready to go as Anna and Olaf always were, Elsa marched right up to the wooden doorway, and rapped it with her knuckles three times. Leaning her head towards the door, she listened for the telltale feet shuffling forwards to greet her. She waited... and waited...

Nothing.

Elsa frowned. Maintaining a secure grip on her bouquet, she took a few steps backwards, tilting her head up at the rooftop; a lone chimney puffed a constant and thick stream of ash and smoke, which rose high into the air before fading away in the gray clouds up above. Curious, Elsa walked over to one of the windows, using a free hand to tap it lightly. She tried peeking through, but the interior of the shop was too dark to make anything out, much to the Queen's annoyance. Elsa was no blacksmith, but someone with at least half a brain should have been nearby to watch the fire, or else risk burning down the entire town.

The Queen of Arendelle wouldn't accept that sort of negligence upon her behalf, even if she was a rather weak and painfully timid example of one; walking back to the doorway, she knocked three times once again, much louder this time. When no one responded still, she gave an impatient sigh, and grasped the doorknob. Discovering the door to have been unlocked, she stepped inside.

Almost immediately, Elsa was assaulted by a wave of new sensations, ones that cannot be found anywhere else. The sweltering heat washed against her like a tangible being, pressing itself against her nose, eyes, and mouth like a heavy blanket. It took the lady several seconds of eye-watering and gagging, before her lungs could finally accustom to the heat now wrapping around her. Another peculiar detail was the smell hanging in the air; Elsa briefly mistook it for a nosebleed, until she dabbed her thumb to find nothing on it. Then again, the place does rely on working with iron, no doubt the source of odor. However, that wasn't all: it was aromatic, inexplicably sweet and _salty_. The inside of her nose burned with something fierce, although its awareness faded away given time.

Eventually, not even the Snow Queen was bothered too badly by the environment. She blinked her eyes repeatedly, her eyes still having difficulty seeing where there was little lighting; as it turned out, there were actually quite a few windows adorning the walls, but the outside was so limited in sunlight that it did the smithy no favors. For example, she could just barely make out some chains hanging on the wall, but not much else. In fact, the only reliable light source was the forge itself, a great cobblestone piece standing on a section of floor filled with gravel, emitting smog and a gentle orange ambiance, interrupted by the occasional dancing spark.

The Queen was beginning to feel a little lightheaded from the temperature. For a moment, Elsa considered simply freezing the whole room over to provide refuge, but quickly caught herself; she still had no idea where Sigurd the blacksmith could potentially be, and she didn't want anyone to walk in on her and discover her secret. Nervously, her free hand rubbed against the brooch keeping her blue traveling cloak attached. What should I do? she wondered.

_You can start by acting like a normal human being,_ Elizabeth.

Her eyes finally adjusting decently to the darkness, Elsa discovered a convenient coat hanger standing to her left. Unclasping her cloak, she hung it carefully on one of its many rungs. Then, she set her yellow rose bouquet, which looked even lovelier in the gentle glow of the fire, on a nearby waiting bench. Satisfied that her possessions would be safe and secure, she turned around.

That was when she saw them, slowly coming into view in the shop's dimness; rows upon rows upon rows of metallic objects, standing neatly and proudly on display shelves for all to see. However, as Elsa discovered when she stepped closer to marvel them, these metal-works were arranged with little regard to subject matter; lustrous teapots stood next to flowing emblems, a cast-iron alligator staring glumly back at her with silver eyes, and a gilded cobra which the Queen swore could have been heard hissing, not to mention miniature figurines of children dancing around scale models of famous buildings worldwide, complete with arches and beams. Each one was incredibly detailed as well, with flowing shapes, zigzag patterns, stars and ridges etched as decorations. For some reason, they combined to look oddly reminiscent of latticed frost, or a winter portrait.

However, within these wondrous displays was something peculiar, something that stood out like a sore thumb: At the very center of the gallery was a mannequin dressed in a glimmering set of plate armor, one that harkened back to the Middle Ages. It too was adorned in remarkable patterns, and yet... it was malformed, off-center. As a matter of fact, it was actually incomplete; sections of chainmail beneath hung loosely like patchwork, and pieces of metal plating were outright missing.

_whump_

A great and heavy hand slapped itself onto Elsa's shoulder, squeezing it tight enough to register the sensation as painful. Elsa jolted to a freeze in response, rendered completely breathless by the sudden shock, behaving very much as prey would do the moment before a predator inevitably went in for the kill.

"There are two kinds of people who would enter my smithy, fair lady: Either it's a customer... or a thief." said a deeply hoarse voice.

The thick fingers dug even deeper into the disguised Queen's shoulder. "So tell me... which one do you consider yourself as?"

Elsa quaked violently, all the way down to her borrowed shoes. Shivering in fear, she slowly turned her head to face whoever was behind her, surprising herself when she saw a rather young man with buzzed hair come into view, his dim silhouette as wiry as the frames of his glasses. Even so, the hand gripping her was a clear sign of his deceptive strength. Besides that, there wasn't anything else that Elsa could discern; the man's face was completely inscrutable, as was the flat look of his eyes.

"U-um... Yes!" the disguised Queen sputtered quietly, darting her eyes left and right in panic.

"'Yes?' Seems to be a bit of an odd response, isn't it? Not unlike what a poor excuse of a thief would cook up." In spite of these words, however, the man's hand released its hold on Elsa, prompting the woman to rub her throbbing shoulder in relief. "Although, I wouldn't blame you; it's even chillier than normal for my tastes today, and you've clearly spent too much time outside." He flexed his hand slowly, staring at it in a mix of curiosity and befuddlement.

Elsa swallowed hard; her cold body temperature came dangerously close to blowing her cover, inducing misunderstanding and panic. She must keep the man's mind out of suspicion immediately. "Th-that's true, sir. However, I am sorry to say that I am looking to neither steal nor purchase any goods from your workshop."

"Hm! I see!" The man turned his attention away from the disguised Queen to approach the forge, bending over to reach for a small box sitting beside it. "Then, what brings you here?"

Elsa dusted herself clean, taking great care not to touch anything. "I'm actually asking around town for any strange occurrences within Arendelle." she stated, tugging onto a blackened lock of hair for assurance. Noticing that a bit of the coloring was rubbing off on her fingers, she promptly stopped. "It's nothing too important really, but... I'm really, interested with what's going on out there."

The man didn't say anything for a long time. Instead, he was content with sitting besides the fire, stoking the coals powering it with a long poker, sending swarms of sparks high into the air with every scrape.

"I-it's okay if you don't want to say anything!" Elsa hastily added.

Finally, the man came to a stop, turning around on his seat to face the disguised Queen. "Your name is?" he inquired.

"Els-" Elsa clamped her teeth shut with an audible click, narrowly missing her tongue. It was bad enough that she was declared a thief, much less being the only ice-cold thing in this sweltering forge; she wasn't going to compound the embarrassment by blowing her cover like the idiot she was as well. "It's _Elizabeth_."

While not necessarily unpleasant, the name still felt incredibly alien and detached to the disguised Queen's tongue; she couldn't help but feel her face flush even in the smithy's heat, sheepish for having to fall back under this pseudonym.

The man nodded slowly and sympathetically, as if he now understood completely what _Elizabeth_ was going through. "Ah... no wonder you seemed so peculiar. Say, which country do you come from?"

This little comment only made the disguised Queen's left eye twitch involuntarily; for some reason, practically everyone she came across today while under her makeshift persona asked her this question, or some variant thereof. Perhaps she just looked too out-of-place in Arendelle to be considered anything else.

"Actually, I was just given a strange name at birth." _Elizabeth_ retorted. "I've lived in this town for all my life." She didn't even bother covering her mouth to correct herself this time. True, she still can't face her own identity or others without wrapping herself in a coat of lies and deception; if Helge was here to see her, he would have scolded the disguised Queen for not following the plan and ditching her persona by the time she entered the town. But in all honesty, her heart soared; soared for letting her mask slip just a little more loosely, soared for at least mustering the moxie to admit this one honest truth about herself. It wasn't really too much of an effort, but it was a mistake on her part to let others deem her an outsider to Arendelle.

So, she was very shocked to watch as the man hunched forth, his chest shaking. A snigger bubbled from within his throat, slowly but surely graduating to a full-blown belly laugh. "So..." he said between peals of merriment. "You aren't too far off from me, believe it or not. My parents traveled from way down south when I was still learning to walk! I had to grow in a different home, so for as long as I can remember, my name is Sigurd. Nice to meet you!"

_Here he is._

Elsa blinked in comprehension, as she watched the blacksmith with renewed interest while he stood up from his chair, and walked over to observe his displayed metal figurines and pieces. "But... that's a perfectly lovely name." she complimented.

Sigurd snorted. "That was what my parents said when we first moved here." Idly, he brushed a finger over one particular figure, a lion who exhumed ferocity, majesty, and pride through a mane stretching from its neck down its belly, colored a dark brown to contrast its gilded body. "Hm... I couldn't help but notice that you have an eye for art."

Elsa raised an eyebrow at Sigurd, wondering where could this conversation could possibly lead to. "Well, I'm rather fond of geometry-"

"-Then let's make a deal!" The man sat himself back in front of the burning forge, a stack of papers resting in his hands. He faced _Elizabeth_ with a wide grin on his face. "I actually spend my fair share of business outside of this fjord, traveling far and wide through mountains and woodlands. No doubt, I might have seen or heard something that will catch your interest."

While these words were music to Elsa's ears, she didn't exactly permit herself to start leaping for joy just yet; Sigurd's tone of voice sounded much too suspicious for him to be characterized as charitable. "...What are your terms?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"These papers here-" he said, patting them lightly with the back of his hand, "-are my latest designs and projects. I've been meaning to find someone to critique them for a while, and the fact that someone who just waltzed right into my shop with a bizarre and rare fascination with geometry is nothing short of good fortune. You work for me a little, and I'll answer your questions! How does that sound to you?"

Elsa hesitated, and with good reason: Absolutely no one else had ever asked for some sort of compensation for asking her questions, being more than happy to answer before going back to their daily lives. If she denied him right here and left, it could be entirely possible that the remaining people left on Ingrid's card could tell her everything Sigurd could tell her, maybe even more. If that was true, then what's the point of wasting precious and valuable time here?

Then again... what happens if the opposite was true? If she just left one important piece of information slip by while it was still dangling in front of her, it could spell the difference between success and failure in confronting the Spøkelse. She couldn't afford an oversight, even if she was a poor excuse of a Queen.

Elsa turned her head back at the rose bouquet sitting quietly near the doorway. There were hardly any names left on the card anyway, and the pile of parchment was nowhere close to the mountain of paperwork she normally had to deal with back home...

"I'll do it."

"Great!" Sliding a wooden stool next to him, Sigurd patted it gently in a friendly, welcoming gesture. "Have a seat here, Elizabeth, you must be freezing! How about I offer you some food?"

_Elizabeth_ raised her hands outwards in protest. "Oh, nonono-"

"-Don't worry, it's nothing too expensive!" Sigurd laughed. He waited as _Elizabeth_ made her way next to him with hesitant steps, and watched her smile unconsciously as the warm and pleasant heat of the flames licked her deliciously. When she sat down, the blacksmith passed something wrapped and bundled in paper from a box sitting nearby. The lady peeled it open, revealing a steaming potato covered in blend of unidentifiable powder. She raised a questioning eyebrow at the man, more than a hint of suspicion touching her icy blue eyes.

"It's my mother's recipe." the blacksmith explained. "Come on, have a go!"

The disguised Queen sighed, and dug into the potato with her teeth as she pored over Sigurd's designs and schematics. Almost immediately, a wave of exotic aromas filled her nose, overwhelming and powerful, burning her tongue. But, the taste of the meal was amazing, somehow feeling as exotic and far-reaching as it was nostalgic, while remaining quite savory all around. It warmed her immensely, and only provoked her appetite with every chew. She nodded in approval as she swallowed, which only made the blacksmith beam brightly.

_Elizabeth_ flicked a glance back at the stack of parchment, and braced herself as she raised two sheets up to eye-level in the firelight to make comparisons; these papers were arranged just as haphazardly as the completed works resting on display. And, unless sculpting figures made of ice and snow with only a flick of a hand and some mental effort counts as craftsmanship, Elsa had never done creative work before, so whatever language this man was using for step-by-step directions was well beyond her. At least she could make out both faults and impressive accomplishments with the sketches alone; the blacksmith in particular was obsessive about details and shapes, measuring them down by the millimeter, although he hiccupped occasionally when it came to certain fields like off-angle facets of stars, or lamps too large to be practical.

Ten minutes passed by as Elsa worked, her voice becoming stronger and more confident as she adapted to Sigurd's presence. Initially, she was fearful of pointing out some of his more glaring mishaps, not wanting to insult this wiry man who seemed to have put his heart and soul into his work, but Sigurd was nothing short of polite and very receptive. Over time, _Elizabeth_ became more generous, more self-assured with her advice and corrections. She worked quickly as well, already going through half the stack of papers in such a short amount of time.

Although, as Elsa scrunched her nose in concentration, taking yet another bite off her potato, she couldn't help but notice a recurring element throughout the blacksmith's work; the same mixtures of swirls, pinpoint stars, bands and angled lines complimenting each other like a windy, wintry scenery.

"Is something the matter?" Sigurd's voice rang out with curiosity.

Elsa frowned. "This one's very good, maybe just a little heavy with the flourishes here and there…" She raised a sheet concerned with molding a brass trombone, her finger tapping on one particular pattern marked on the bell's side. "Excuse me for asking, but I couldn't help but notice that these etches remind me of something familiar, something that I've seen around here…"

In the ambient lighting, Sigurd the blacksmith broke out into a wide grin. "Ah, looks like you've caught on, Elizabeth." He lifted a supple arm towards the parchment, tracing a circle around the tuning slide with his fingernail. "See that lining there? These are imitations of what I've seen the Snow Queen create. The bands and diamond shapes belong to me, though."

Elsa dropped her jaw, rendered completely flabbergasted: No wonder this artwork was so familiar to her, they were offshoots of her own ice! "Why would that be?" she found herself asking in confusion. "Wasn't the Midsummer Blizzard three weeks ago harmful for so many people here?"

Sigurd sat back, grabbing another wrapped potato from the box. "Naturally, Elizabeth. Absolutely no one was prepared for the enchanted cold spell. Even I had trouble getting a fire going since the Great Thaw, until it occurred to me that I had to clean out my entire shop to rid of the moisture, not to mention the shocking news of having a sorceress for a Queen."

Elsa stared at Sigurd for a few seconds, before lowering her head in shame. Of course her citizens had to suffer when she suffered that moment of weakness and ran away, of course this blacksmith was just one more victim. If it weren't for the fact that Elsa's cloak was hanging off the far end of the smithy, the disguised Queen would have fidgeted with her brooch in fit of nerves.

"However," Sigurd continued, having not paid attention to _Elizabeth_'s reaction, "us merchants and artisans are experts in making the best out of bad situations, and what the Queen of Arendelle had done was absolutely mind-blowing: In just a single day alone, she turned this town into a tourist hot spot!"

Elsa looked back up at the wiry man in shock. "Seriously?"

Sigurd suspended from his fire-tending to give the woman an odd look. "You don't go out frequently, do you? It's a bit subtle, but if you knew where to look, you'll see these things everywhere; snowflake badges, winter tapestries, extra-large glitter dust, fence posts, guns, that sort of stuff. The Snow Queen is a bit of a reclusive fellow, so many try playing up the consumer's interests by faking endorsement. Others go even further, visiting the Royal Palace for inspiration, incorporating her magically-created patterns into their own wares. Everyone has their own reason for doing so, but I have to say that it's quite profitable."

The disguised Queen rested the papers down on her lap, her face pensive as she followed the orange glow of the fire with her eyes. While a slight weight was lifted from her heart, out of relief that the events following her disastrous Coronation weren't as destructive as she had convinced herself to be, the fact that many were essentially using her just to pull in sales was... disconcerting, at best. _They could have at least asked me first._ she thought bemusedly.

The blacksmith chuckled to himself, noting _Elizabeth_'s puzzled expression this time around. "You know, shouldn't you be asking me one of those burning questions you came into this store with in the first place?"

Elsa choked in startled realization. If the Queen was being completely honest with herself, she actually had a lot of fun running around as _Elizabeth_, exploring the kingdom on her own merits without the attention and highly public life monarchs usually shouldered, while learning more and more as time went by. It was no surprise, really, considering Queen Elsa was as much a stranger to her own people as her _Elizabeth_ persona was.

Then again, this wasn't the reason why she was donned a mask in the first place, not even close at all.

_No... you held onto it because you refuse to grow up and be a woman about it, hugging tightly to this false name like a security blanket you couldn't bear to step outside without._

This time, Elsa's inner reasoning just came off as petty; she would be going nowhere if she continued. Sucking in a deep breath to focus herself, _Elizabeth_ faced the expectant blacksmith, and hoped for the best. "Have you been to the Western Passage yesterday?"

The man scowled, proving once and for all that Elsa made the right choice for sticking around. "Not I, but my shipment of iron certainly did. Place had been completely torn apart by some freak of nature, setting me back several hours in supplies." He paused to scratch his chin, before adding: "Apparently, it's even worse just a little south of the region though. The early morning fog was so absurdly thick, I heard that caravans got lost for hours in the Thulite Path, which is bizarre since it's just a long road to town!"

_Fog… Thulite Path..._

_Hólmgeirr, I've finally caught you._

Elsa had expected to feel incredibly relieved after spending fruitless hours searching, grasping at clues and loose straws before ever making a breakthrough. She wanted to celebrate, to leap in joy, perhaps even shake hands with every man and woman she could come across as she danced all the way back to the Royal Palace. So, it was much to the disguised Queen's surprise when nothing of that sort came up, not at all. In fact, she was more dissatisfied than anything else.

So... why is that?

_Well, you found out about the Spøkelse... who is kilometers away from any route leading into the Western Passage. _Elsa's eyes widen in grim acceptance and abject horror: She had hoped the Spøkelse was somehow capable of physical destruction, despite being an intangible spirit. However, it couldn't possibly in two places at once, at least with the distance in between the Passage and the Thulite Path, which can only mean...

_There is a second, angry threat that we haven't accounted for._

_...And a certain _someone_ is to blame for this spanner in the works._

Elsa just had to know. She stood up from her stool, scattering pieces of paper everywhere much to the alarm of Sigurd. "You said you've drawn inspiration from my-... from the Snow Queen's work, right? Have you ever tried visiting the North Mountain?"

"Whoa, whoa! Please, calm yourself down!" the blacksmith objected hurriedly. "You're sending some of my projects into the fire!"

_Elizabeth_'s face flushed, and the lady stopped short before embarrassing herself further and inconveniencing others with her outbursts. Slowly, she sat back down while picking up after her mess, hugging herself tightly afterwards.

"Whew! That was... interesting." The blacksmith cheerfully noted. "Although, I actually do visit the North Mountain regularly, perhaps once a week."

_Elizabeth_ didn't try to express much excitement this time around. "So you must be aware of a certain creature lurking around at the summit, right?"

Much to Elsa's bewilderment, it was Sigurd who became riled up, going as far as to leap from his spot, and stomp on the gravel floor angrily with a huff. "Seen it? That thing's a pain in the neck!" He froze mid-stomp with his leg raised, and promptly scratched the back of his head sheepishly for his own hypocrisy. "I uh... I make regular trips up there."

Elsa couldn't resist putting on a small smile. "Oh?"

"I always wanted to get a closer look at the fabled Ice Palace." Sigurd admitted. "I don't know if you've seen it before, but it really is quite a piece of work! But! Every. Single. Time! I can only get within eyesight before being chased back down by that snow giant! The thing never leaves its post, ever!"

_It's still violently rejecting and chasing away intruders... just like I had always wanted it to._

"It must have been a really difficult for you," E_lizabeth_ somberly said, "to keep hiking up the mountains and risking your life to see the Palace, only to get thrown back down by its guardian..."

The blacksmith settled down, waving a hand dismissively at the lady. "Nah, I hitch rides with ice harvesters who want to see the castle for themselves, too. It's actually quite fun, once the adrenaline starts kicking in." He paused, staring at the ceiling in thought. "Although... now that I'm thinking about it, I'd rather meet Queen Elsa myself, and thank her for the past three weeks." He shook his head. "Funny thing is, I missed that chance yesterday, on the one time she showed up in public since the Thaw. Ah... in the end, it's just a silly little wish."

"...There is nothing silly in a wish, Sigurd." _Elizabeth_ remarked quietly.

Once again, the disguised Queen found herself deeply troubled by the accounts of her own people, because while she was able to obtain anonymity among them by wearing a mask, at what cost must she pay? Her sense of honesty? Her lack of ability to comfort those who needed her the most? The masquerade itself was certainly worth it, without a doubt; she would have never built up enough courage to ask others for their time with only three weeks of progress, so Helge's aid was much appreciated.

The only issue that persists now is... must Elsa hold tight to her _Elizabeth_ alias? Should she allow herself a moment to show who she truly is?

Elsa couldn't really bring herself up to answer this question. Instead, she chose to neatly stack whatever was left of the schematics besides the wooden stool, and stand up. "Thank you for your time." she said softly, curtsying to the wiry man in gratitude.

"...You're leaving?"

_Elizabeth_ nodded back, turned around, and then she saw _it. _The chains she had merely passed over upon first entering the workshop. Now that Elsa's eyes have completely adjusted to the smithy's relative darkness, she finally realized the iron links for what they were; a metal pair of heavy manacles that hung unworn and empty, waiting patiently to render a victim inert and completely helpless in their open maws.

Almost instantly, the walls shifted, forming distinct cement lines in the dimness that encased themselves like a prison cell. Even the burning fire, which had been a symbol of comfort and warmth since she was first invited to approach it, melted into the invading scenery: besides the pale lighting of the frosted windows, the cell burned in a malevolent tinge of vermilion.

Elsa staggered backwards in shock, her heart hammering hard and irregularly against her chest. Her hands shivered and itched uncontrollably, and yet she was powerless to even so much as scratch them. The only thing the Snow Queen could do was watch in terror, as ice crawled outwards from her feet to encase and swallow everything like a hungry forest fire. She feared for her life, and she wanted out. What must she do to escape?

_"Elizabeth!"_

Who was Elizabeth? Weren't the guards on the hunt for their fugitive Queen?

_"Wake up, Elizabeth! Wake up!"_

Something tapped itself against her face, blunted and difficult to notice. Elsa scrunched her face up in response, and blinked rapidly with increasing awareness as the taps began to sting harder. Bit by bit, she was pulling herself away from her mental world, following the sound of a faraway voice, her vision alternating between a cramped cell and an expansive workshop. Finally, she was sitting back on a stool, her arms hanging loosely but freely by her side, her face somewhat dazed.

"Elizabeth!" Above her, a panicking Sigurd patted her briskly on the cheeks, calling her name out in an attempt to restore her. Instinctively, the disguised Queen slapped his hand away, eliciting a cry of surprise from the wiry blacksmith. "Hey, it's not my fault you decided to freak out in my shop!" he complained.

Elsa ignored him, instead scanning her surroundings for any magically-created frost that could have escaped from her control. Immediately, she feared the very worse: _Did anything freeze over? Did anyone find out?_

_Elsa._

The disguised Queen halted, suddenly aware of the blacksmith staring at the burning coals of his fire, making sure nothing peters out with an iron poker on hand. Besides his frantic efforts to snap _Elizabeth_ out of her breakdown, he didn't seem to be affected by much else.

Like a calmer, wiser woman, her mind began consoling the Queen with slow and deliberate wording, listing off each and every reasoning, toning down her ramming heart with every phrase:

_First of all, it was much too dark for Sigurd to notice anything strange, much less reflect itself on sheets of ice._

_Second, his complaints of the surprisingly moderate temperatures outside shows he's much too sensitive to the cold. He wouldn't have realized a new wave of chills was not a simple draft._

_Third, this entire room is still blisteringly warm by anyone's standards but Sigurd's. Your ice would have difficulty manifesting itself in this sort of environment. So please, _Elizabeth_, just relax before you get yourself in further trouble._

Elsa remained in her seat, finally soothed back to normal, albeit humiliated, levels. From the corner of her eye, she watched as the blacksmith walked over to the other end of the smithy, his body hunched over to investigate just what could startle the lady so terribly. He returned within seconds, the chained metal gauntlets dangling loosely and harmlessly from his hands.

The lady cringed, recoiling as those things swung closer to her. "Please..." she weakly murmured.

Sigurd blinked, and he flicked his eyes back to the chains he carried. "Hm..." he mused. "I don't really know your history, Elizabeth, or how this thing relates to you... But honestly, I think you have been nothing a perfectly kind, wonderful lady who won't see another prison wall in the near future. You got that?"

Elsa looked up from her chair with upset eyes.

The blacksmith's brow furrowed, and he rubbed the back of his neck as the gears in his head clearly whirred in thought. Then, he pointed a long finger upwards, his face brightened by a surge of inspiration. "Would you like to hear a story? About something like this?" he asked, rattling the steel bindings a little. "I don't know if it will cheer you up, but it won't take too much time! I mean, the door is right there if you don't want to listen..."

The raven-haired lady didn't say anything. Neither did she move.

The blacksmith tilted his head. "...I'll take that as a yes." Kneeling downwards so he was eye-level with _Elizabeth, _Sigurd rubbed his hands together, like a man ready to complete and arduous task.

"If I was to be honest, I used to _loathe_ Norway's winters." he began. "I hated the cold snow that prickled my skin, I hated the blistering winds, and absolutely hated the dark cloudy days it brought that lasted for weeks. Winter locked me inside my home, locked my parents inside my home... all-round it wasn't a ball of fun. So, when the Midsummer Blizzard came rolling by three weeks ago, it was like my worst nightmare has come true, a seventh circle of hell!"

Elsa blinked. "I-I see..."

"But, a little less than three weeks ago, a bunch of Palace Guards came knocking on my door. I happened to be one of the few craftsmen still in town at the time, so they chose me, of all people, to help out with fixing the castle. They never said anything except to ask for my assistance, no clarification, nothing. Now, it was bizarre enough that I was entering the Palace for the first time, so when I realized we were heading down to its basement level, it terrified me more than anything else; I thought I was getting locked up! I mean, what kind of crime can one commit to be locked in the basement cell of a castle, for crying out loud...

"Then, one of the guards opened up a door, and that was when I saw it; a giant hole blown in thick stone walls, like a-... a bomb had gone off inside it! I tried asking a Palace Guard if he knew the culprit." Sigurd continued. "He was a big, serious-looking fellow, but upon hearing my question he suddenly became tight-lipped, looking rather dangerously close to crying... "

Elsa concentrated reflexively, willing with all her might not to slip back into the past. She certainly remembered that moment, after she had finally freed herself of those horrid manacles... maybe even a glimpse of the men who finally broke open the prison door...

"However! That wasn't what truly caught my attention!" Sigurd added, raising his hands high in the air with expression and vigor. His flailing movements were so similar to a few people Elsa had grown to care for, the disguised Queen couldn't help but feel lighter. "There was rubble everywhere; wooden support beams, chunks of stone, and piles of dust smothered the cell floor. And at the very center of this ungodly mess, sitting completely out in the open, were these little scraps of metal..." Sigurd raised the chains to give them a jingle. "They used to looked just like these, the kind slapped onto those who harass their fellow inmates. I wasn't the one who made them, but I knew they were of the finest quality, and built to last. So, I thought I was hallucinating when I saw those things lying on the floor, covered in frost, and just _peeled_ open like a fruit!" he chattered excitedly. "Can you imagine that?"

Elsa actually managed to smile back, feeling some of her own heart return with the blacksmith's enthusiasm. "I can't really say that I believe you..." she muttered half-jokingly.

"Hey, don't cut in on my fun!" Sigurd laughed. "But anyway, It was only a few days later when I learned that it was the _Queen_ herself, our very own winter sorceress, who managed free. I mean, I've _seen_ what a "cold snap" can do to ships, but this...!"

Finally deciding to settle down, he sat back on his chair, a grin etched on his face. "Growing up, I've always thought of winter and snow as a means of confinement... but Queen Elsa taught me that I was just looking at the wrong side of the coin. I never paused to wonder how each snowflake goes on their own adventure, or how the cold winds blow without limits; I learned that there's a kind of freedom in ice and snow, one that cannot be imprisoned by even the strongest metal. _That _is why I use winter designs in my work, and _that _is why I wanted to meet the Snow Queen one day." The blacksmith beamed, his teeth glinting in the orange firelight. "Apologies for having you listen to this winded anecdote when you needed to leave, but I hope it helps a little."

_You can tell him, you know. You can tell him the truth, make his dream come true._

Elsa stood up from her chair, and walked over to the exit, feeling the fire's heat fade and slip away with every step. Pausing only to once again marvel at the blacksmith's hard work, she retrieved her traveling cloak from the coat hanger, and picked up the rose bouquet from the bench, before turning around to face the blacksmith with her hand on the door. "Thank you... for everything."

Sigurd blinked. "What, for answering your questions, or...?"

Elsa merely smiled.

The wiry blacksmith nodded in comprehension. "Alright then." Chuckling to himself, he added: "But I'd have to thank _you, _for entering my shop and all. Say, why don't you come back someday, Elizabeth? I could use more of your help from time to time, and uh... it's nice chatting with somebody else, at least once in a while."

The lady's smile spread even wider. "Of course. I wish you a good day, Sigurd." And with that said, she stepped out of the warm building and back into the brisk Arendelle afternoon, her cerulean cape billowing in the wind.

* * *

><p>"This is quite troublesome…" muttered Kristoff, stretching his arms upwards as his mouth yawned wide and long tiredly; the last couple of hours have been spent chasing endless leads without rest, and it wasn't as if he got much sleep the last night.<p>

Beside him, Anna brightly tilted her head with piqued interest, her red pigtails bobbing back and forth with every step, the hems of her dress floating ever-so slightly through the air. "You're talking about Marshmallow, right?"

"Who's Marshmallow-" Kristoff began to ask, but his mouth clamped shut in before he could finish the question. "Ah right, we gave him an official name now…" He shot a glance at the little snowman accompanying the two, one who hummed absentmindedly as he waddled between him and Anna. The mountain man couldn't recall why, when, or how Olaf's nickname became official, but both the snowman and his girlfriend refused to call the enigmatic snow giant by anything else.

The ice harvester paused to reconsider his words, using the time to readjust the red sash wrapped around his waist. "Anyway... about 'Marshmallow,' word on the street says he has been roaming around the western parts of the kingdom, which doesn't spell good news." he explained. "To be fair, I never remembered him being one to start a fight, unlike a _certain_ feisty lady..."

Anna smiled awkwardly in response, brushing a lock of red hair past her left ear. "Heh, yeah..."

"...but the fact that it's tearing up the landscape violently tells us that it might be too angry to reason with. I don't know how much of a setback it will prove to be, whether or not the kingdom will remain safe when we finally head out, or if we should even concern ourselves with him right now.""

"Well… how about we stick around town to find out?" Anna suggested. "Should we keep Helge waiting for a little longer?"

Kristoff turned his head to one of the stores populating the street, his eyes focusing on a grandfather clock displayed in a shop window. Past the ice harvester's reflection on the glass, the hands on the clock's face cheerfully pointed out that the time was a quarter past two. "There's still plenty of time before sun falls below the horizon." he stated.

"Alright then!" Anna exclaimed brightly. "How about we start by-..." her voice trailed off, suddenly aware of a tugging sensation on her green floral skirt. "...Olaf?"

The little snowman's stick hand had been pulling at the Princess' clothes, trying his best to catch her attention without barging in on her conversation. Upon achieving his goal, he jabbed a finger up at a particular building, or perhaps more specifically, at what was covering its door.

Anna covered her mouth with her hands to stifle a gasp. The door was gilded in what appears to be smooth, shimmering silver, stretching outwards before ending in interweaving spikes and spirals. Its mere luster alone was breathtaking, and yet that wasn't all it had to offer. Rising from the surface were countless crooked bands, creating neat fissures that gave way to diamond shapes and other geometric arrangements. Miniature animals marched on frozen horizons below swirling clouds, many of which the Princess recognized as exotic beasts from countries far south of Norway, sorted in layers by extent of grandeur. With a carving of a pompous sun watching over all, the door was an incredible tableau of wild energy, order, beauty and adventure.

Olaf gave a long, low whistle, pointing his nose at the sign hanging overhead. "Wow... this "Sigurd Smithy" person really likes to show off, huh?"

Kristoff silently inched closer, looking at the door with skepticism. Anna rushed to his side, and both of them touched different parts of the scene depicted before them. Laying one dainty finger on the sun's blazing rays, she felt an intense cold bite back, sharply contradicting its curving and slippery surface. "It's… it's ice." she breathed.

"And flawless, too." Kristoff added, completely spellbound by the work. He raised a hand with fingers outstretched, brushing them across even more patterns and surfaces, marveling just how the ridges slide and rippled alongside his skin. "No kinks, no air bubbles, no internal cracks, nothing. Perfectly smooth." His lips parted, the whites of his eyes growing larger by the second in revelation. "This is no blacksmith's work." he whispered.

Kristoff's statement was absolutely electric; both the Princess and the ice harvester looked at each other, both of their eyebrows rocketing high up their forehead to comical levels. "Elsa!" they shouted at the same time.

It had to be Anna's older sister. The ice couldn't have been made by anyone else. The Princess's heart danced with such absolute joy and elation, the rest of her body followed along with celebratory leaps and pumps of her fist. Elsa has finally overcome her fears, finding the strength within herself to walk out in the open by herself, no doubt to help out her friends and family they way she had always wanted to. "Yes! Yes! Woot, you go sis!"

Anna continued to leap up and down in happiness, doing so for about three or four times before noticing something was amiss. Out of the three friends who realized Elsa has finally left the castle on her own volition, she was the only one who engaged in jubilation. Even Olaf was silent, actually looking downcast for such a typically cheerful person.

"Guys?" Anna inquired hesitantly.

Olaf did something that Anna has never seen him do in the three weeks she had grown to know him; he fidgeted with his twig fingers, making soft clicking sounds with where his nails should've been as he shuffled his little feet together, like an painfully shy child faced with uncomfortable circumstances. "We never spotted her anywhere... does that mean Elsa doesn't want to be with us?"

The words themselves were meek and sincere in delivery, but they were more than enough to set the redhead off. The Princess' cheeks as flushed to a shade similar to her flaming hair, completely steamed and incensed. "Of course not!" Anna hotly rebuked. "What could possibly plant such ideas in your head?"

However, just arguing against Olaf's question wasn't enough. Already, doubt was beginning to seep into Anna's conscience like venom, chilling her blood, and paining her chest with every heartbeat. After all, Olaf had a point: why didn't Elsa meet up with them already? Why was she running alone, creating such telltale creations of ice all by her lonesome?

A heavy, but gentle weight rested itself on Anna's lithe shoulders, squeezing once firmly, but with tender fingers. It was a gesture of incredible warmth, trust, assurance, and most importantly, stability. Anna turned around, her disheartened eyes looking up at a neutral Kristoff.

"Something's wrong…" he observed, his tone level and calculating. "I mean, a Snow Queen just walking around would have caused at least some kind of stir in this town, right? Remember how yesterday turned out for her?" He scratched his jaw, the space between his eyebrows decreasing... and then he abruptly froze. His face slowly warped, turning into a comical expression of horror. "No one has seen her..."

"...because no one thought it was her! That's it! She's gotta be pulling a disguise or something!" Anna finished excitedly for the ice harvester, her eyes opened wide as tea saucers. She let out a long, slow breath in awe. "That is... that is just so _cool_."

Kristoff grimaced. "Sure it does, but that just makes a normally easy job of finding her near impossible." he muttered. "I mean, where could she be? Does anyone even know what she looks like right now?"

"Hey guys!" Olaf's voice rang out in a singsong pitch. "Sorry to burst into your conversation, but I think we already have all the clues we need right here!" With a dramatic swing of his wooden hands, the little snowman gestured to the artistically-frozen door, spreading his limbs as widely as to capture its grand image. "We can just ask the door where she was heading!"

Kristoff snorted with his arms crossed, while Anna broke out into jubilant laughter. "Come on Olaf, doors can't talk!" the Princess corrected between amused breaths. "At least, not as much as I would _like_ them to. But, I know for sure that this 'Sigurd' person is a different story!" Firmly grasping the doorknob, she swung the door open, and looked back at her smiling friends. "Let's go find my sister!"

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><p><strong>Feel free to drop a comment or two, even if you aren't logged in! If you got any questions about the plot, the characters, etc., don't be afraid to ask. I'll always answer, and I take great care not to drop spoilers. <strong>**  
><strong>

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen._**


	18. Ch 18: Noticed by Someone

**Red sash, green dress, blue cloak.**

**Once again, I would like to mention that _Have Courage, Elsa_ will never be a shipping fic. Feel free to find any hints and point them out to me, but no one is going to fandango, tango, or... um, tangle. There are only loving and well-needed hugs. And Frohana.**

**All rights goes to Disney, and credit goes to RohnHazard for his diligent work, as well as for for coming up with the ship's name and motto. Confused? Keep reading, then.**

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><p><span>Chapter 18<span>

Noticed by Someone

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><p><em>Helge's Journal Observations, Passage No. 7:<em>

_A few hours ago, Elsa had asked me why Kristoff and I seemed to be so aggressive towards each other, given our fondness for trading snide comments and wrestling each other to the ground. I suspect a desire to draw comparisons between our family relationship, and the one she's currently holding with her sister, Anna.  
><em>

_I dismissed her worries, telling her that trolls are more physically-oriented when it comes to displays affections, and that rough humor and schadenfreude is on par for the course. I advised her that she doesn't necessarily have to do the same thing if she feels too uncomfortable, but she already has a penchant for dry wit anyway._

_In reality though, I think Kristoff has never forgiven me for feeding him lichen as a child._

_...Oh come on, it's not like it was intentional. Lichen is a staple of both troll and human diets! How should I know I was supposed to cook it first?_

_...Ah, I'm already tired as it is..._

_...I sure hope those two come back soon. Thulite Path awaits._

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><p>If one were to ask any citizen of Arendelle to rank its most beautiful aspects, a particular feature that would consistently land near the top would be its atmosphere. The kingdom sat at the very mouth of a fjord, opening it to the endlessly stretching horizon, paving way to the rest of the world. As a result, the region was subjected to the perpetually flowing winds of the seas, dispelling the stale air that typically plagued large settlements, invigorating the mood and spirit with a crisp touch of ocean spray.<p>

One little child was feeling especially fond toward the sea breeze; she loved just how it slipped and breathed past her skin and rosy cheeks, how it billowed past the sleeves and ends of her dress, and how the wind nipped at her nose with its chill. As she dashed to her heart's content, she dragged along with her with tiny hand a taut piece of string, one that was tied to a kite soaring high in the cloudy sky. It was a lovely thing, full of purple hues and yellow highlights, and with a plume-like tail trailing behind. From the way it caught the breeze in its sails, the toy flew like a great, majestic bird surveying over all of Arendelle.

The little girl laughed as she ran, wanting her kite to fly faster, higher, farther... Then her vision flashed a dull red. Her little teeth clattered together as she ran herself into something solid headfirst and with great force. She bounced backwards a fair distance as backlash, her little feet flailing before her until her rump made painful contact with the ground. There, the little girl just sat with her dress sprawled over the pavement as she blinked twice in rapid succession, too stunned to speak.

_crunch_

The girl gasped in horror, and she ignored the pain pulsing at her head and behind to turn around on her knees. Lying crumpled on the pavement was her cherished kite, its wooden cross spear shattered into splinters. The only thing that was literally keeping the object together was just the purple fabric of its sails. All in all, the toy had no prospect for flying in the near future.

The girl couldn't help herself. She was just a child after all, so upon seeing the wreckage laying on the ground, something squeezed against her chest painfully like a balloon starting to swell. Her chin began to wobble, her eyes began to sting. It was getting harder and harder for her to breathe, so she tried compensating by huffing deep breaths in and out. Unfortunately, that didn't help much; a whine emerged from her throat, slowly but surely graduating to full-on bawling.

"O-Oh no! Please don't cry! Please!"

Through the little girl's thick tears, a great figure stood before her, with pale hands outstretched and waving in panic. The child stopped her crying to stare blankly for one second... then two... and then she wailed even harder.

The figure made a start, turning her head from left to right repeatedly in frantic, panicky motions. "Um... what must I do, what must I do..." she murmured hastily to herself. Then she gasped, her icy blue eyes brightening with a rush of inspiration, and the lady dove to the ground with a flip of her blue cape. The child didn't pay any attention as the figure went to work, seeing fit to cover her eyes with balled fists instead.

The cloaked stranger slowly rose from her position, her hands placed behind her back. Shyly, she approached the child with soft steps, bending herself so the girl could hear her clearly. "Hey there, little one..." the figure's voice whispered. "...Why don't you have a look over here?"

The girl sniffled, and stubbornly squeezed her eyes shut to block this stranger lady out.

"...Please?" the woman added, perhaps a little desperately.

Finally, the child peeked through her puffy eyes, and suddenly gasped in wonder; her kite rested between feminine arms, completely restored to its original shape and form like it had never crashed... no, perhaps a little more than that: little sparkles decorated the fabric, inscribed within the sails so subtly one would have to view in a certain direction to see them, especially since the lighting was left to be desired on this particular day. Once that angle was achieved though, they flared brilliantly against the grey scenery, like fine jewels arranged in the shapes of snowflakes and fractals. What's more, the cross spear was reversed from the crumpled mess of what it was before, rendered capable once more for serving yet another daring flight.

"Um... Hi there, little one."

The girl rubbed her nose with her sleeve, and looked up at the figure: she wasn't just a woman, but a lady as beautiful and graceful as the toy in her hands, especially with how her radiantly blue eyes still managed to regard the child with the utmost warmth. Her pale face shone with majesty, and although the raven bangs peeking from beneath her bonnet contained a few streaks of grey here and there, they only served to convey the woman's wisdom and maturity.

"I'm sorry for breaking your kite, little one..." the stranger apologized. She knelt downwards to bring herself within eye-level of the girl, throwing the beauty of the repaired kite into greater relief. "...I hope this will make up for it."

The girl stared at the lady in awe, slowly and hesitantly raising a tiny hand up to touch the kite. Her fingers felt pleasantly cool as they wrapped around the toy, before drawing it in as the woman released her grip. Then, the little child giggled, and hugged the kite gently between her little arms. She lifted her head while hopping up and down in delight, now beaming so brightly she could have replaced the sun that was currently missing from the dull skies. "Thank you! Thankyouthankyouthankyou so much, pretty lady!" she squealed.

The lady's lips stretched into a full smile, and she was just about to respond with some more kind words when yet another voice, deep and booming, rang out in the distance: "There you are, Emma! What on Earth have you done to yourself?!" The ground shook slightly as the source, a giant of a man whose forearms resembled thick tree trunks more than anything else, made his way towards the two with rather clumsy but wide, powerful strides.

"Papa!" the girl called out, raising her hand excitedly. "I'm sorry, I didn't watch where I was going..."

The father knelt down on one knee, gently dabbing away at the child's face with a handkerchief that barely covered his brick-loke fingers, before raising it up so she could blow her nose. The little girl tried avoiding it, squirming like a rather stubborn puppy struggling to escape being patted dry after a bath, but she quickly gave in with a smile.

"You better apologize to the lady you ran into," the father admonished, "or else you're going land yourself into a whole lot of trouble."

The pale raven-haired woman stood straight up from her position, prompting the man to turn his attention towards her. "Please, don't worry about what your daughter has done." Hesitantly, she patted the little girl on the head, almost as if she wasn't sure if this was an act she was allowed to do; even so, it elicited another round of delighted giggles. "She's been nothing but a true sweetheart."

The man stared blankly for a moment, and then shook his head rapidly into focus. With a relieved smile, he said, "Ah... okay then."

"Papa! Look at my kite!"

"Hm...?" The father craned his muscled neck downwards, tilting his head at the purple kite held between the daughter's tiny little hands. "What's so special about it-"

The blue-eyed stranger coughed, so briskly and disruptively that the father suspected the fit was actually out of deliberation. Even so, he humored her by turning his view away from the kite, and back to the cloaked woman with a raised eyebrow. The woman's cheeks flushed pink in response as she looked away a little guiltily, which wasn't surprising given how much the man towered over her... but then she put on a polite smile, lifting her head to return his gaze. "I was wondering if you could help me with a little predicament." she stated.

"Sure. What do you need?"

The lady sucked in a deep breath, allowing her chest to rise and fall naturally. "I would like to ask if you had seen Anna around these parts recently."

The man blinked in rapid succession. "'Anna?'" he mouthed in confusion.

The lady froze to a startled stop. "Ah, my mistake... I was wondering if you'd seen _Princess_ Anna around." she amended. "You know, always smiling, red hair, blue eyes? She might be walking around town with a tall, young blond man, and perhaps a select few besides her."

The _Princess_ _of the kingdom? What sort of business would this lady have with Her Highness?_ _"_Um..." the man began, scratching at the back of his neck with a large hand. "I've been watching over my daughter for the past couple of hours or so around this spot, at least until I couldn't catch up to her in time. I'm sorry, but I haven't seen the Princess around here."

The woman's icy blue eyes became shadowed and downcast, and her shoulders slumped as she hunched her back over in complete disappointment. In fact, the man couldn't help but feel at fault, wondering whether it was entirely his mistake for making her fall into this condition. Briefly, he imagined feigning knowledge of the Princess' whereabouts and what could come afterwards, just so he could picture this stranger smiling again.

However, the cloaked woman recovered within seconds: "Interesting..." she muttered to herself, standing tall and upright before the father. She dipped her head down while lifting the sides of her skirt, curtsying respectfully towards both him and his daughter. "Well... thank you very much for your help..." her smile widened, "...and enjoy your kite, little one. Make sure you have it checked for repairs soon." With a flourish of her cerulean cape, she turned and walked away in the distance, disappearing from the two's sights once and for all within seconds.

The girl beamed up at her father. "She's really pretty, Papa!" she chirped.

The large man nodded slowly. "Uh-huh. Sure, kid."

"She even has graying hairs, just like you!"

The man sputtered, his face turning as red as a beet in embarrassment. "Okay, now!" he said a little forcefully. "You just run along and continue having fun, alright?" As he watched his daughter return to running with her kite trailing behind her, he rubbed at his eyes with a thumb and index finger. "Geez, kids these days..." he groaned.

* * *

><p>Elsa was done. Finished. She had finally achieved her original goal of searching for the Spokelse's whereabouts, had ran through every last person on Ingrid's list, and managed to return home besides, handing the gift bouquet of yellow roses to one of the Palace guards for safekeeping. It was entirely possible that she had made herself some new friends, even if it was through... unusual circumstances. Even her inner cynic for did little to dampen the fact that this day had been going very, very, <em>very<em> well for her so far; just thinking about the recent turn of events made the Queen giddy, so much that she was tempted to skip in celebration. It wouldn't really hurt her image either; she was still wearing _Elizabeth's_ dress and cloak, having decided that it was better to wait outside the Palace gates without changing, freeing her to do whatever she wished without anyone connecting her to the Queen of Arendelle. Of course, it was the years of practicing self-restraint and royal etiquette, much less being an adult aside, that refrained her from prancing in circles.

_So... now what?_

Well, there was the matter of where the rest of her family are; Kai had noted that Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf were nowhere to be seen inside the castle, which meant that they haven't returned from _their_ part of the excursion yet. This was especially worrying for Elsa, since she could hardly believe such a team could be slower than _her_ in gathering information. The guards had previously offered to keep a lookout while she entered the castle for a bite to eat, but the Queen opted to wait outside to tell her friends the news herself. Even so, that didn't stop her from pacing back and forth impatiently.

_It's been more than half an hour since you were done already... at least Anna and Kristoff should be here by now._Elsa thought to herself. _How long must they take?_ _...Should I go after them?_

_Absolutely not._ she replied in annoyance_.__ If you were to have your back turned for just one second, they could potentially slip by your notice as you waste precious time continuing your search. Your whole expedition would be rendered moot._

Elsa grimaced. Her second opinion was right as usual; Arendelle was already strapped for time as it was, and the disguised Queen couldn't bear being responsible for any possible delay. Yes, she must stay put, and remain waiting. No distractions.

Out of the corner of her eye, Elsa could see a wisp of a man hunched over in fatigue, his arms straining as he struggled to carry a stack of large wooden boxes. He looked as if his spine would snap in two if nobody gave him the assistance that he desperately needed within the next second or so. Without a second thought, the Queen in disguise rushed to his side as quickly as her borrowed dress could take her.

The man lifted his head to see Elsa approaching, and shifted a little nervously in place, almost as if he was panicking at the prospect of someone noticing him. After only a second of consideration though, he lifted the pile just a little higher, making it easier for the woman to slip her arms underneath and contribute to the effort. "Thanks, ma'am!" he gasped in relief.

"No problem." Elsa grunted, shocked at just how _heavy_ these boxes of supplies were.

"Seriously, I must thank you. It felt weird asking for others for help, and you have no idea how rough it's bee-" the man stopped midsentence, his mouth hanging dumbly. A spindly hand elevated up to the older man's face, flexing its knobbled fingers to adjust his wire-framed glasses, and he craned his neck to scrutinize within uncomfortable proximity of the disguised Queen. Then, he promptly released his end of the box, forcing the poor woman to stagger underneath its crushing weight. "E-Elsa!?" he stuttered.

"W-who is she?!" the lady objected reflexively, although such words still felt incredibly rough and unrefined coming out of her mouth. "It's not like my name is 'Elsa' or anything, I'm Elizabeth-"

Alas, before the Queen in disguise could finish her sentence, the muscles in her slender arms surrendered and gave way for a fraction of a second, causing the supplies to drop steeply in height. Sucking in a quick breath, Elsa had to assume an unflatteringly wide leg stance just to prevent them, and her by proxy, from collapsing to a heap on the floor.

"Oh, sorry about that!" the man cried. He dove in haste to help Elsa lift the stack of cargo back up, before resuming his close observation of the cloaked helper. He grinned before noting, "I find it difficult to believe that you can fool anyone just by dyeing your hair black..."

Elsa blinked. Something was strange about this particular person... something familiar. Yes, she had heard this voice before...

Allowing herself a closer look at the frail-looking man, she took notice of the thin beard, the graying face, and the faint wrinkles that tapered his bespectacled eyes that flashed a brilliant grass-green, which were the only things that were vibrant about him. Elsa pieced all of these characteristics together, using the combined image to draw upon a memory that was formed not even a full day ago.

The man was Frode.

She couldn't uphold the masquerade any longer, not in front of the man who became one of her first self-made friends; she laughed good-naturedly in spite of her arms, her icy blue eyes alight with the spark of joyful recognition. "It is good to see you again, Frode!" she whispered excitedly. However, she lifted an index finger up to her lips, miming a gesture to shush him.

The prospective writer nodded in a mixture of comprehension and empathy. "Ah, no one is supposed to know... I guess you needed your privacy. Alright then." He made a gesture of his own with his hand, using an invisible key to lock his mouth. "Your secret is safe with me. Now, if you're wondering on where we need to go, it's within eyesight." Together with the cargo boxes on hand, they marched their way to a nearby shop in relative silence, as men and women passed by without a second glance, only stopping once they've reached a door painted with yellow crocus flowers all over the wood. With a simultaneous grunt, they released their load on the doorstep, and panted slightly from their spent effort.

"So..." Elsa began, still gasping to catch her breath. "What were you doing?"

The older man shrugged, but he did not lose the happy grin that now plastered his face. "I told you, I'm going to stay in Arendelle for a while." he explained. "I'm just grabbing some odd jobs to get by, before the publisher comes back with his feedback. This was technically the last thing I had to do." Shaking a small, uniquely blue-and-red-banded sack to the sound of jingling coins stored inside, Frode latched it to the back of his belt.

Elsa looked down at her exhausted hands, an ugly realization dawning upon her in regards to Frode's work. Suddenly, she became pensive about what she said to him in that bookstore yesterday; he had clearly taken her words to heart, but it wasn't as if he was going to miraculously and instantly find the life that he always dreamed of living. He was still a vagrant, and a rather aged man who was still taking laborious jobs...

"...Are you sure you don't need any more help?" Elsa asked worriedly. "I mean, if you need money-"

Frode merely barked in confident laughter. "'Money troubles? I don't know how much of a pampered life you've been living, Els-" he coughed, "_Elizabeth,_ but everyone has their own way of living their lives. Contrary to what you think, I'm actually quite satisfied with how this town turned out for me. I'd love some charity, but you're in no position to be charitable as of the moment, little lady."

"'Little lady'?" Elsa scoffed jokingly, her worry beginning to evaporate away. "That's rich, coming from a stick-figure like yourself."

"Aha, don't forget you're talking to a living fossil..." Frode paused for a second, tugging on his thin beard in silence. Then, his green eyes twinkled, and the corners of his lips spread from ear to ear. "Say, as thanks for helping me out, how about I buy you some food? The Cuddly Buck cooks up some great meals and entertainment for a decent price."

Elsa blinked. "Wait, what?" _What kind of name is "Cuddly Buck?_ she wondered in bewilderment.

"I want to repay you for everything you have done for me. Think of it as my way of being charitable." Frode explained brightly.

"Um..." The disguised Queen took a step backwards, her hand squeezing the brooch keeping her cloak in place. To be honest, she wasn't feeling very hungry at the moment, and she could always head back inside the Palace if she wanted something to eat. However... Elsa found herself still hung on the choice to say "no": On one hand, she didn't want to stray far from the Palace gates, and neither was her appetite especially large; she could still taste Sigurd's spiced potatoes at the back of her mouth. On the other, Frode was one of the first friends she ever made outside of her family; she couldn't bear seeing the aspiring writer's face crushed in disappointment, almost as much as she couldn't bear seeing Anna's, Kristoff's, or anyone else's for that matter.

"...Shouldn't you be saving enough money to get by for yourself?" Elsa asked, hoping to stall on the decision-making process, or perhaps hopefully give him time to reconsider his offer and spare her the choice. "I mean, there are much better ways to spend on someone other than me..." Much to her surprise, the wizened man gave a hearty laugh instead, one much richer than his frail figure would have otherwise suggested.

"As far as I'm concerned, cash spent for a friend is as good an investment as anything else." Extending a hand backwards to pat on his side, Frode added, "Besides, I'm not completely strapped, I actually have some-..." his voice trailed off as he continued patting, then stopped with a frown. "Have... hm."

Elsa didn't like the tone of that voice; she tilted her head perplexedly as Frode began to stare blankly into space. "What's the matter?" she asked in confusion.

"...My purse." He slowly revealed his flexing hand to Elsa, which was completely bare in its rough palm. "I remembered feeling it on my belt just a minute ago as I was pocketing my payments... Someone must have stole it while I wasn't looking."

"Stolen!?" Elsa shouted furiously.

"Hey, relax!" the older man objected back, clearly alarmed by his friend's sudden turn in behavior. "Look, it's not as bad as you would think, El-...-_lizabeth_. I've had my wallet taken more times than I would ever care to admit in my life, so I'll just get the-"

"No." Elsa stated affirmatively, completely livid at this point. "We're going to find him, and we're going to get your earnings back."

"But I can just report it to the authorities!"

"Have you forgotten?" Elsa replied angrily, her glacial-blue eyes scanning throughout commuters for telltale signs of thievery. The crowd was already beginning to thin as people are returning home from their daily commute, but there was still a sizable number still roaming from the streets. She didn't even question about whether or not the burglar would have been long-gone by then, when she spotted a band of red and blue floating within the crowd. "You're talking to one right now, Frode."

Now, it wasn't as if the disguised queen was ignorant of criminal activity; not even the safest countries were ever devoid of a darker underbelly, and Elsa had managed her fair share of documents and judgments in the past three weeks as ruler of Arendelle. On those occasions, she saw such business as just what it was, business: Most of the time, she would have only felt saddened that some people were either falsely accused, or risked breaking the law due to difficult or complicated situations in their own lives.

Of course, none of these accused, besides certain visiting dignitaries that need no mention here, had ever directed their efforts at Elsa and those she regarded as friends or family, much less operated right within her proximity. In the Queen of Arendelle's mind, she believed she would be a terrible excuse of a leader if she simply let this felony slide by. She gave chase, her blue cloak flying behind her as her feet pounded the pavement, her line of sights trained on the banded purse like a raptor in hot pursuit.

"W-wait, it could be dangerous go after a thief! Suicide, even!" Frode tried calling out to Elsa, but his voice was lost in the howling wind billowing past the lady's ears.

As Elsa ran, her eyes began picking out the characteristics of the thief responsible for pick-pocketing her friend: he was easily a brute of a man, one whose messily-cut hair was easily seen above the average citizen. He also wore clothes that did not match the typical Arendelle attire, eschewing the traditionally blue trimmed jackets and brown vests for a simple shirt that stretched uncomfortably. He had been trying to stuff the banded wallet into his pockets, but they were already bulging from what the Queen suspected were even more stolen goods, so all he did was fumble desperately and with futility.

_Got you._ Elsa redoubled her efforts, diving in and barely avoiding collisions with random pedestrians by using her lithe arms to gently push them aside aside, apologizing to each one with earnest words as they glanced at her in confusion. Now that she had no intention of letting this man slide by without paying reparations, not even her usual shyness from attracting attention touched her much; even though her cheeks flushed with blood that made her face itch, a kind of thrill rushing through her veins allowed Elsa to storm through at an admirable and uninterrupted pace.

However, the cloaked lady managed to attract one too many a person's attention; the thug turned backwards on his heels to catch a glimpse of Elsa, his eyes absolutely bulging in terror now that he was aware of his pursuer. Unfortunately for her, the man came upon the same idea of running through the crowds, although he was content with shoving people aside with enough force to topple them over.

_Fortunately_ for Elsa, he was nowhere near as graceful: On one instance, the thief actually stumbled to a sliding fall, briefly parting the sea of people with his immense bulk, before leaping back up again while clutching at his side in pain. Elsa gritted her teeth as she seized the opportunity, getting so close to reaching him...

The thug then dove a hard left, running straight into a narrow alleyway. Elsa followed suit. She could hear the sounds of feet slapping against the ground as the darkness began to envelop her, the sound bouncing off the walls of the buildings sandwiching her in-between. The walls were not flush on either side, creating a narrow, crooked path, leading to a wide space. There was no light up ahead, so man had just trapped himself between her, and a dead-end.

Just as the already grayed sky shrank to a dim sliver up above, Elsa's legs slowed to a stop, right next to a dustbin surrounded by discarded tools and refuse. As her heart thundered against her ears, the effects of the adrenaline began to fade away, replaced by unwelcome doubt. Within seconds, it suddenly dawned upon the disguised lady that what she had been doing was lethally stupid, chasing after a frenzied thief with eyes of a reindeer's just as it was about to be hit by a carriage. Now that she was in a darkened alley all by her lonesome with a cornered criminal, whose only means of escape is by bypassing her...

_This is all your fault._ A familiar voice accused Elsa. _You're too soft, fooling yourself into thinking that catching a thief can be done by simply cornering him. _

_He might get desperate._

Elsa shuddered, hugging herself tightly out of a need for security. The thief was still somewhere beyond, still out of sight. Even his footsteps could no longer be heard. The thyg who had been mostly a joke for that past few minutes suddenly became a genuine threat, one that was as all-encompassing as the darkness separating her from the rest of Arendelle.

_Okay, okay... just calm down. What do I know at the moment? _

_Well, while this man was clearly not violent enough to attack in broad daylight out on the streets, this alley isn't going me any favors... _Elsa spotted an old discarded broomstick resting against the dustbin, with most of the straws on its brush standing completely sideways instead of upright. As a broom, it was a complete useless, worthless piece of junk that had outlived its use for who knows how long. Nonetheless, she grabbed its wooden shaft tightly within her thin fingers, holding it out in front of her to fight back a wave of fear overtaking her stomach.

_If worse comes to worst... use your ice powers._

The darkness of the alley suddenly gave birth to the images of two gruff men standing warily, their crossbows pointing directly at her with the full intention to shoot gleaming in their beady eyes. Elsa's heart jumped at several times its usual rate, but the rest of her body was oddly calm and relaxed. Slowly, the Snow Queen raised her free hand at the two, her will and focus gathering in her fingertips manifesting as mist and flakes of snow, ready to fire back at them with projectiles of her own...

...and then she squeezed her eyes shut, balling her hand into a fist. She can't aim well in this dark and tight space, so it could be entirely possible for Elsa's winter blast to directly hit the crook instead, maybe even freezing his heart. As far as she knew, this man was just a petty thief; he didn't deserve such a cruel fate. Even if it would be out of self-defense, Elsa didn't want him killed as yet another testament to the dangers of her powers. The Snow Queen promised herself to be strong for her sister, her friends, for everyone... she was beyond always fearing that she was a monster for three weeks.

Now, she just has to act the part.

So, instead of focusing her ice magic directly in front of her and potentially misjudge her aim, the Snow Queen shot at the ground instead. Sparks of light spouted from her palms, briefly illuminated the dark alley in blue flashes until a solid wall crystallized in front of her.

"Good, good..." Elsa breathed, relieved that she had this problem mostly taken care of. Oh, the thief still has Frode's wallet without a doubt, but as long as she gets some guards over here like the older man had originally suggested, everything should be all right. Content with herself, she turned around on her feet and headed for the light behind her, opening to the rest of the world and beyond these troubles.

_thud_

Goose bumps crawled underneath Elsa's vest and dress, skittering all over her back like silent, insects with needlepoint legs and venomous teeth, paralyzing her on the spot.

_thump krick_

Slowly, the disguised Queen turned around, her fingers involuntarily tightening around the broom's shaft. Perhaps it was because of the darkness of the alley, but she had misjudged the thickness required to keep the prisoner in. The wall of ice glimmered irregularly in what little light was available, white spider webs spinning within it in unpleasant shapes and forms.

_thump thump thump_

_krick krick krick krack krackle thump_

Elsa had no choice; she turned her head back to the only exit out of the alley, and cried, "Help! Somebody help m-!"

"Shut up!" A massive weight slammed into Elsa's right side, causing her to spin clockwise clumsily on her feet. She would have fallen down, but the woman had jabbed the end of her broomstick hard into the pavement, providing enough support to stand upright. An ugly sensation pulsated from where she had been hit, and it took nearly all of her willpower to keep her eyes open and face her attacker.

A pair of tiny orbs glared back at her, with beads of sweat rolling down a slab-like face like rain falling on stone. The thief stood more than half a head above Elsa, and his chest heaved up and down with rancid breath that made her nose cringe in disgust. His nose was gnarled like it had been broken in several places, and his boots were covered in brown gunk littered with chips of wood and dead leaves. In his thick hand was something small and club-like, very reminiscent of those carried by fisherman out on Arendelle's harbors. The wall still of ice still gleamed behind him, which meant he must have used the small bat to chip away indents to climb upon. The crook pointed the said bat at Elsa, quaking with what the disguised Queen realized was fear. "W-what are you?!" he shouted, almost foaming at the mouth. His bloodshot eyes darted back and forth between her, and the wall.

_Ah. He knows._

Elsa squeezed even tighter on her makeshift weapon, the gears in her head spinning furiously to formulate a plan. The man was clearly unnerved by Elsa's display of magic, big surprise, but perhaps she could still salvage the situation before it could get any worse. He still needed to get through her in order to escape, after all.

_Sure, and the world is such a perfect, happy and reasonable place. _

_Quiet, you. _"Please, would you calm down?" Elsa tried to say; her right side still smarted something fierce, but at least her body seemed to be mostly intact. If she could talk this man down, neither of them would end up worse for the wear... at least, until she gets him behind iron bars.

This only unnerved the thief even further, and he took several steps back with the club still pointing at her. Hitting his back against the ice wall, he jumped and gave a small yelp.

"Please, relax sir!" Elsa reiterated. "I don't mean you any harm!" With a small and cautious wave of her hand, the wall of ice split into several wisps of gleaming snow, once more illuminating the alley with flashes of ice. The man fell flat on his butt, forcing him to scramble on his back away from the woman in front of him.

"S-stay away from me, you-... you..."

Elsa sucked in a deep breath; this man was bringing up some ugly memories, and his refusal to listen to her was beginning to grate her nerves. Lowering her broomstick just a little slightly, she pushed away the anger that was beginning to flare and lick at her chest, and stated in as level a tone as she could manage: "Look, I'm sorry or chasing you. It's just that you have stolen my friend's money, and I would highly appreciate if you were to give it back to him-"

"Y-you don't understand! I can't do it!" the man half-shouted. He was practically wailing, really, even as he stood back up to his full intimidating height. "I don't have the money! I need the money, I need..." his mouth hang open without uttering another sound. Then, he spoke once more, his voice growing huskier, unhinged, and more threatening. "_It..._ is coming. I ran east, all the way to this forsaken town of cutthroats and cheats!" he yelled, slamming a fist on the wall. "I don't have four hundred to set sail! I need more, I need to run... freaking crystals everywhere!"

As this man continued to ramble, Elsa couldn't help but feel increasingly wary; this man was obviously short of a few screws in his head, not to mention exactly _what _he was talking about. East? Crystals?

"...And you... you are just another one of them!" He stuck a hand inside his shirt, pulling out something curved and wooden, with a metal adornment-

It was a gun.

There was no time to think; Elsa stabbed through the air with the end of her broom, its blunt endpoint smacking square into his nose. His head snapped backwards with a yell of pain, and he dropped his gun. Enraged, the man made a wild swing at her with a thick arm; Elsa ducked, just barely avoiding a knock to her jaw by a hair's breath. She then swung her broom, making a wide sweeping motion, her hands tingled with the instant feedback of hard contact. Spotting the gun lying on the ground, just waiting to be used, Elsa used one foot to kick it out of sight.

"Please, I need you to just settle down!" Elsa called out apologetically. "I don't want to hurt you... well, anymore than I already have, sorry." Once more, she raised a hand to aim at the ground in front of the crook, power gathering in her palms to form-

The man charged forward, roaring hoarsely as he brandished the club high above his head. Elsa hopped backwards as he brought it down, feeling the disturbed air touched with stale sweat tickling her nose. With the brush end of the broom, Elsa swiped at his cheeks, eliciting howls of pain. He tried countering with a punch, but the Snow Queen knocked that away as well, albeit imperfectly; both staggered away from each other, panting heavily from expending so much energy in fighting. The man tripped on his own leg, and he tumbled to the floor gracelessly.

"Will you please stop!?" Elsa asked desperately, raising her broomstick again as the man drunkenly shifted back into a facsimile of a stance. He lunged at her once more, forcing the lady to bring her improvised weapon up to stop him from advancing. She bared her teeth ferociously at the thug, before pushing back with as much strength as she could muster; the man lost his footing, which Elsa used to her advantage by smacking the shaft hard into his ribs. "You're too tired to carry this one, we both know that!" she called out.

"But I must run..." the thief wheezed. Within his hand gleamed the wickedly curved and polished wood of the same pistol she had kicked away earlier, still loaded, still very eager to finish the fight. Elsa's blue eyes widened in shock. "I have to get rid of you..."

For the briefest of moments, the sliver of gray sky above was blotted out; had Elsa not been too focused on the barrel pointing directly at her, the disguised Snow Queen would have believed a bird had flow overhead. Instead, a shadow descended in a nigh-invisible blur that landed with barely a shadow's flutter. Twin lines of brilliant silver traced crisscrossing arcs, sending white sparks flying as they clashed together. Something heavy clattered to the ground with a clink, upon which Elsa decided was the moment to seize the chance; with a grunt, she stabbed once more into the darkness, feeling the wood recoil in her hand as it made impact. She watched as the thief adopted a hunched position and remained frozen for a few seconds, his eyes bulging, his mouth dripping saliva. Finally, he keeled over and flopped to the ground, all the fight taken out of him at last. A small sack with red and blue bands running through it fell off, which Elsa quickly pocketed in her borrowed vest.

Now that her original objective was over, Elsa allowed herself to sag against the alley wall, leaning on it and her broom for support. She turned her head to the figure standing nearby, the one that managed to intervene before it could get uglier, and gasped in alarm; the surprise visitor was nearly as tall as the thug and certainly more intimidating in appearance, with a shining cutlass in one hand, and a curved dagger in the other. His clothes were similar to those worn by sailors at Arendelle's harbor, although the shirt underneath his jacket flared into frills at the cuffs, and his waist was wrapped in multiple belts, each one carrying a flintlock pistol in its holster.

The stranger sheathed his blades into their respective scabbards, and swung a hand up in a salute while snapping the heels of his leather boots together. "Captain Peter Himmel, at your service." he announced with pride. "I heard a call for assistance, and I arrived as soon as my skills and legs could take me!"

Although her grip on her broomstick was beginning to ease in tension, Elsa raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

The stranger gave the cloaked lady an incredulous look. "You mean you've never heard of Peter Himmel, the incredibly daring captain of the _Andersen's Quill_ and its crew?"

This time, the man's words struck a chord within Elsa's memories; she had seen his name and that of his ship's before, scribbled messily a few times through documents and permits, the earliest one being two years ago when she issued a Letter of Marque to aspiring corsairs. At the time, the only distinctive quality that caught the Queen's attention was the slogan always insistently repeated in each notes section concerning the _Andersen's Quill_: _"The rapid vessel whose bow inscribes adventures into the open sea!"_ Rather bizarre, really.

_Heck, that was probably how you remembered his name at all, Elsa. Besides, if what he said was true, this stranger was no permanent fixture of Arendelle's military forces. There was nothing much to reinforce your recognition of him, besides perhaps a list of privateers._

Well, at least she recognized "Captain Himmel" now, if not earlier. Slowly, the disguised lady nodded in acknowledgement, before curtsying to him with a slight dip of her head. "Yes... thank you very much for your help, sir."

The man flashed a boyish grin that shone with pearly whites. He had the kind of face that Anna used to fawn over in the sisters' younger days: clean-cut dark hair, skin tanned from sun exposure, strong chin, and eyes that glittered with intelligence and vibrancy. "It wasn't as if you really needed it though." he complimented, gently prodding the downed thug with a boot. "This guy may not look the part, but he's got a bounty over his head. I've been chasing him all over Norway until he fled here - my hometown of all places! And yet it was only here where he made his worst mistake by coming across you!" he laughed. "You've done me a real favor by cornering him, what with the impressive fight that you've put up! Isn't that right, guys?" he asked, directing his voice behind Elsa.

Out of curiosity, the disguised Queen turned around to find out exactly who the stranger could be talking to, but all she saw was the entrance into the alley. She blinked a couple of times, resolving to look even harder for anyone that could have been behind her... and still found nothing. Not even a pedestrian was seen walking by in the street beyond.

The man's face grew more and more crestfallen with every passing second, as he too came upon the same understanding as Elsa's. "What?... No one... no one was there to see us?" he moaned. "But... but it was fantastic! An audience would have gone wild! There has to be someone who witnessed everything!"

With a great and melodramatic sigh, he pulled out a long piece of rope before winding it around the petty thief. "You big schlub of an idiot..." he grumbled, "you should have let the nice lady call for help more."

Elsa swallowed hard as the man finished tying a knot around the crook, and she took a step back in nervousness; while she genuinely appreciated the seconds brought by the captain's entrance, the cloaked lady wasn't sure if she had just traded one oddball for another, and she didn't want to appear rude. Pointing her fingers out the alleyway, she mumbled, "Um... thanks again for everything, Mister Himmel... I'll just be going now."

"Hey, hey! Wait up!" But, Elsa had already exited the narrow corridor once and for all, blinking a little as her eyes adapted to the increased lighting. She just barely had any time to herself to admire just how wide and expansive the town was in comparison to that dank, cramped little alley though, when the sound of footsteps followed behind. "I wasn't finished talking with you!" a voice cried out.

Elsa turned around, watching as the captain squeezed himself out of the opening, a task made somewhat troublesome by the hulking thug now slung over his shoulder. "Is there anything you need?" she asked quietly.

"Yep!" The man walked up to Elsa while wearing the same grin, full of confidence and energy. "What do you say about joining my crew?"

Seconds ticked by in relative silence, as Elsa tried to process such an absurd request through her mind over and over. "...Wait, what was that again?"

"I understand if you need time to think, but trust me, there are a _lot_ of perks to sailing out at sea!" Peter explained cheerfully, using his fingers to count them off one by one. "We can go on exciting adventures beyond the horizons, meet new people, taste new foods, get into scuffles, hang out with the greatest, most awesome friends that can be found anywhere-"

"-I'm sorry," Elsa interrupted, "going out on a seafaring adventure sounds wonderful and all... but I'm going to have to say no." _For a number of reasons._

The captain's smile faded ever so slightly in disappointment, but Elsa's refusal evidently wasn't enough to slow him down. "Look, I want to repay you taking this guy down for me. If you don't want to join my crew... can I at least take you out for a drink?" he offered. "Perhaps at the Cuddly Buck tavern?"

Elsa blinked. _That name again..._

"Please? it's a homecoming party arranged by my shipmates, so it'll just be me and the other guys! Dancing, eating, partying, I guarantee that you'll have fun!" He then dropped his voice to an almost conspiratorial volume, smirking as if he knew he was going to finally rope Elsa along with this one last piece of information. "I hear that a walking, talking snowman will be arriving earlier than planned - he mentioned something about a schedule change. If we get there fast enough right now, we may even be able to catch him performing!"

A walking, talking snowman.

Olaf.

_Olaf wasn't seen in the castle along with Kristoff and Anna. He can lead me to them._

Elsa's breathing quickened with excitement, now that she has a lead on her family's whereabouts. In an attempt to act natural, she patted herself clean of dust and stood primly, giving the waiting sea captain a smile. "If it really means that much to you... I guess I can come along. I could use some fresh water right about now."

Peter Himmel beamed. "Absolutely fantastic!" Slinging an arm around Elsa's shoulders as if they had been friends for years, he walked her down the street while still carrying the criminal's limp body. The sudden and unexpected physical contact made the cloaked lady flinch, although the captain hardly took notice to her discomfort. "What's your name, by the way?"

"I-it's Elizabeth."

"Hm... you mean like Queen Elizabeth the First? For a foreigner, you certainly talk like you've lived in my hometown for your whole life."

The left corner of Elsa's mouth twitched. "...Maybe it's because I'm the Queen of Arendelle."

The young captain immediately barked with mirthful laughter. "See? This is just another reason why I wish you would join my crew!"

* * *

><p><strong>Hello action scene, how are you doing? Sure haven't seen you in a while.<strong>

**Feel free to drop a comment or two on what you readers think about the story and characters so far. I promise I won't drop any spoilers.**

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen._**


	19. Ch 19: Mastery of Tact and Grace

**Special thanks go to RohnHazard for being an excellent editor and advisor, and to my band teacher for introducing Second Suite in F by Gustav Holst; that was the most fun I've ever had playing music, even counting that time the Symphonic Band played in Carnegie Hall.**

**In other words, there's a musical section near the bottom, starting at the baritone solo of Movement IV: Fantasia on the Dargason. Have a listen!**

**...Yes, I know it's anachronistic.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 19<span>

Mastery of Tact and Grace

* * *

><p><em>Helge's Journal Observations, Passage No. 8(?):<em>

_I'm fully aware of what you and the Royal Family are up to, Mister Helge. I know it is not as if you were trying to keep it a tight secret, but men and women like me have learned over the years to discover all that occurs within these castle walls, especially plotting of the most severe kind. Needless to say, I don't recall feeling this displeased since Arendelle's... previous rulers still took office._

_Now, as but a simple servant to the Royal Family, I have no power in changing Her Majesty's mind, nor telling you to leave the premises. Neither do I truly want to; if only you weren't a harbinger, this note would have been far friendlier in tone._

_So, once you wake up from that stone form of yours to read this slip of paper, grant this old man's request, one who had tended to the Queen and the Princess since they were children..._

_Please, promise me that you'll keep them safe._

_- Kai_

* * *

><p>"Ngh..."<p>

A lean and muscular man turned his head to the raven-haired lady next to her, his dark eyebrows drawn together in concern. "Are you alright, Ellie?"

"Ellie" was something given to Elsa by Peter Himmel, a pet name he had taken a shine to almost immediately after she told him her alias. While she had long since accepted this informal dubbing without open objections, partly because it didn't sound too far off from her _real _identity, she did wonder how differently the corsair would have addressed her if he knew he was actually escorting the Queen of Arendelle in disguise.

As a result, she found it rather awkward to always respond to her new companion correctly, especially now that an ugly feeling of nausea was starting to throb just beneath her skin. Her interaction was getting better though: This time, after only a second's delay, Elsa managed to smile back through the fresh wave of agony. "It's nothing," she muttered. She winced again, and clutched at the right side of her ribs. "Perhaps that man you're carrying had hit me more than I expected."

The sea captain stared at the cloaked lady for a few seconds as they walked together, a massive and bulky criminal tied and slung loosely over his shoulder like a captured hunting prize. Without a warning, he bent over and lightly tapped Elsa's right side with two fingers, drawing out a sharp gasp of surprise from Elsa. She in turn glared daggers at him for the unprovoked contact, until he was almost physically repelled by the frigid intensity of her blue eyes.

"Ah. Sorry about that, Ellie." Peter apologized, raising a free hand up in surrender. "I just wanted to know if you were walking around with a broken rib. Could end badly if not tended to quickly."

Elsa's eyebrows shot upwards.

"Hey hey, relax! It felt more like a light bruise to me." Peter Himmel assured. "Apparently, you're just finally feeling your injuries now that the rush of fighting is over."

"I... I guess." Elsa murmured, rubbing at her tender side once more. "It's nothing too bad, at least... but next time you try touching me, _please_ ask first."

"Gotcha." The young man shifted a little to relieve is shoulder of the criminal's weight for a bit, and whistled a sharp note to capture Elsa's attention. "We're here."

The disguised Queen would have likely figured that out for herself, even if it weren't for the tell-tale sign cheerfully spelling its name on the building in question. In a way, the place reminded her of Sigurd's blacksmith shop, covering a wide expanse of space to compensate for its one-story height. From within, she could hear the muffled sound of jaunty music accompanied by hollers and cheers, the tavern's brick walls being too insufficient in stifling the din. No doubt, they were byproducts of this homecoming party Peter Himmel had mentioned earlier.

_...Party..._

"Um... Mister Himmel?"

"Hm?"

Elsa brought her hands together, suddenly developing an interest in digging the dirt out from beneath her fingernails. "About this gathering... exactly how many people will be inside?"

The tall captain shrugged absentmindedly with his free shoulder. "Eh, just about my shipmates, and maybe some of the regular pub-goers. Oh, and you." He paused in thought, mulling over his words as he stared up at the grey skies. "There's no need to be nervous, each and every one of them would want to meet and shake hands with you."

Elsa bit the bottom of her lip as she stared at the tavern door. That's _exactly_ what she was feeling uneasy about.

Peter Himmel raised an eyebrow at the cloaked lady, his sharp eyesight suddenly narrowing down on her fidgety body language. "Hey..." he began gently, "you're not really much of a people-person, are you?"

Elsa continued staring at the door, her ears still focused in on the noise bleeding through the crevices, and slowly shook her head.

The privateer's eyes widened, and he stared at the disguised Queen with his mouth agape, completely flabbergasted. "Ridiculous. I never would have guessed that you were one of them shy folks..." Peter Himmel shook his head in disbelief, but then reaffirmed his default grin as he clicked his leather heels together and stood straight. "As captain of the _Andersen's Quill_, it is my duty to keep my guests at ease. If you're really that concerned about having others pay attention to you, then I won't make too much a big deal about your arrival. Since it's not like you're going to _live _with these guys for weeks on end anyway, there is no reason to be worried!"

"What? Worried?" Elsa scoffed, a reaction which seemed to mildly amuse the corsair. "Thank you Mister Himmel, but there's nothing to be worried about between us two. Nope. Not at all."

Of course, Elsa had been lying through her teeth; she was crossing her arms in an attempt to hold herself securely now, which from an outsider's perspective would have seemed to be an annoyed expression. In reality though, she was distinctly recalling just how _easy _it was for her to deal with people on one-on-one conversations: she only had to be concerned with one person paying attention to her, only one person to stare at her with only one pair of eyes, only one person to judge her with only one opinion...

Elsa's ears perked up as a new sound seeped through the tavern's brick walls. It progressed into a full melody, of which she tuned herself in towards while pushing away her troubled thoughts. Her head swayed slowly to the rhythm, her voice tempted to hum along: At first, it was mostly just a couple of strings playing some haunting notes, but then more instruments such as woodwinds joined in, picking up the tempo, changing the rhythm, and then the melody escalated into something as light-footed and whimsical as a romp through Arendelle's mountain peaks. Shortly after, the music shifted back into something unfamiliar and new, but the brief excerpt was unmistakable to Elsa's ears while it lasted. "Hey..." she noted with a widening smile, "Wasn't that a work from Ole Bull?"

Peter Himmel adjusted the man slumped over his shoulder to scratch at his own head. "How should I know? All I've got are some runaway students from some rundown establishment in Leipzig." He then burst into laughter, having witnessed the normally demure blue-eyed lady now giving him an incredulous stare. "A fan of music, eh? Now I'm sure you'll absolutely love Olaf when he comes in!"

The corners of Elsa's lips lifted as she smiled back at the corsair, although her good humor was out of a completely different reason than he would have presumed. "I'm not too bad at a piano..." she admitted. The little diversion did wonders for Elsa's confidence, and she waved a hand out to the door in an inviting gesture. "You know what, Mister Himmel? I think it is about time."

The man grinned. "That's the spirit. Just leave it to me, Ellie." Stretching a free arm out at the wooden tavern door, he grasped his fingers around the brass handle, and swung it open to let a wash of golden light and warmth flood outwards.

Inside the tavern was absolute pandemonium: the first thing that Elsa could take notice was the cacophony, which had been boiling inside the enclosed room to a fever pitch before Peter Himmel finally opened up an exit point. Like an explosion finally released from its bomb casing, a bizarre blend of music, singing, chants, jeers, clinks, shouts, and stomps rushed through the doorway like a tangible being, with enough force to blow back Elsa's darkened bangs by reverberation alone.

Of course, that was just the chaos overloading Elsa's sense of hearing; bathed in the yellow light of glowing lamps were people of all shapes, sizes, and shades of skin, clapping and hollering together with mouths spilling with food as performers danced on a wooden table with graceful steps and twirls. Men and women alike chanted shamelessly in each other's arms to a musical group that played joyously with ruddy faces in a corner, their instruments gleaming and blaring rich tones and rhythms. Others joined in by banging their silverware to provide percussive noises, including one particularly creative fellow who shook a contraption made entirely out of dangling dinner forks.

"Oh my." Elsa squeaked, an act which was all she could manage at this point: The entire scene was absolutely terrifying and alien to the disguised Queen, shattering her newfound aplomb as easily as thin ice. This wasn't the happy chaos she had grown accustomed to for three weeks, stirred by the mischief of her extended family. This was complete anarchy held by complete strangers, none of whom she had ever seen in her life, and obviously held true for vice versa. Her mind went blank, her body went rigid, she was absolutely stunned, too overwhelmed to even think about backtracking politely and running far, far away to the ends of the world, away from this madness. Too petrified to move on her own, she was instead dragged inside the tavern like a statue by an elated sea captain. Elsa only snapped back into full awareness when the door slammed shut behind her, sealing her fate.

Then, Peter Himmel did the one thing Elsa had waited for with dread anticipation, even as he himself brimmed with excitement: the privateer flopped the tied criminal to a wooden chair, hopped onto a sturdy-looking table, and clapped his hands loudly twice over the crowd.

At first, nobody seemed to have paid attention to the captain, and proceeded with their current activities uninterrupted.

Peter Himmel sighed, and simply raised a hand up high instead, much like how one would in a school classroom to answer a teacher's question. Incredibly, this managed to grab the interest of one man, a veritable tree stump that somehow grew a head and thick limbs, in the middle of guzzling down his beer, who then raise his hand up in turn and watched with patient, dark eyes.

Elsa swallowed hard in light of his gaze, and she could tell a reprieve was not going to come anytime soon; her heart and brain kicked into overdrive as yet another person, a woman with muscles pressing against her shirt in addition to the usual lumps, mirrored the captain as well. Then, another patron did the same next to her. Then another. And another. Even the band slowly halted their playing, twisting around on their seats to investigate the gradual decrease in activity. With a single lift of a hand that could hardly be called a salute, an entire horde of people silenced themselves in short order, and turned towards Peter Himmel and Elsa with curious looks that burned into the disguised Queen's consciousness.

The privateer captain looked around with a smirk, evidently drinking in as long as possible the air of command over these riotous men and women, and only jumped down from the table when the extended silence was starting to get awkward. He landed directly in front of Elsa, providing relief and shelter by blocking the pub-goers' pressing stares and burning sclera. "Ladies and gentlemen!" he announced, dramatically flourishing a hand at the unconscious thug lying clumsily on the chair. "Fellow members! We have finally apprehended the wanted criminal Emil 'Sticky Hand' Hansen and his bounty! Drinks on me all the way to sundown!"

The entire tavern roared with thunderous applause at the prospect of more booze, with several shipmates stamping their feet on the wooden floor until the combined noise was an entire beast by itself. The commotion rattled Elsa's eardrums, and she was forced to mentally repeat to herself why she came here in the first place before she could panic: _Stay and find Olaf, take me to Anna and Kristoff, Stay and find Olaf, take me to Anna and Kristoff..._

Peter Himmel tapped Elsa lightly on the shoulder, and slowly made his way through the crowd, looking all-too pleased with himself even as the jubilation died down back into manageable levels. Fortunately for the cloaked lady, who now held tightly onto the strings of her bonnet to keep it in place, his presence provided just enough free space for her to walk relatively unscathed, as people stood up and edged away from their spots to allow their captain to move along. Most of them more or less ignored the cloaked stranger... all except for a balding man who rose from his seat to pat Peter Himmel on the back. "Oy, Captain!" he shouted with a lopsided grin. "Are you aware of the lovely lady following behind you?"

Peter Himmel froze for a split-second, for the first time losing the casual air of confidence that he had maintained for so long. Elsa reacted no better, and she was sorely tempted to just shrink away apologetically and disappear into the crowd before her nerves could get any more shot.

_Oh come the heck _on_, Elsa, give yourself a break. This wasn't like yesterday, when you embarrassed yourself in front of an entire restaurant. You were even in your Queenly get-up at the time!_

And then an insight suddenly struck the raven-haired lady like a spark: She was right, Elsa was a Queen, for crying out loud. She's dealt with far more harrowing situations than this within a single day alone! Sure, there may be days where it is extra tough on her, days when her toleration for social pressure were at all-time lows, but this is not going to be one of them. If she was going to get anywhere inside this hectic and high-octane tavern and find Olaf, she's going to have to make more of an effort to stand her ground without assistance.

So, Elsa suppressed her natural fight or flight response, replacing it with the cool and collected demeanor she was supposed to maintain all these years growing up. Breathing slowly, she flash an acknowledging smile to both the captain and his subordinate. "My name is Elizabeth, sir. Excuse me for not introducing myself earlier, but I was invited here." She curtsied with a small dip of her head. "I thank you in advance for your hospitality."

The leading corsair blinked in surprise, but the balding man merely laughed out loud at Elsa's words. "It's about time Captain Himmel brought a real lady for once!" He leaned forward and beckoned her to come closer, muttering in sotto voice, "Just between you and me, Miss Elizabeth, we need more people like you working at the _Quill_. Most of his recent recruits are not as easy on the eyes-"

A statuesque brunette woman with hair shaved off the sides of her head to a fuzz, who had been standing within the vicinity to offhandedly listen in on the conversation, abruptly strong-armed the man into a chokehold before he could say another word. "Now now," she crooned, teasingly pulling at his sun-burnt cheeks, "shouldn't we have more proper gentlemen on this crew as well? You're scaring the new girl." She turned to face Elsa, and bared her teeth in a wide, toothy and confident grin. "Don't mind guys like this one, Miss, everyone does it a lot around here. Welcome to the crew!"

"Ack! Glrk!" the balding man uttered, tugging at the lady's cheeks in retaliation.

The privateer captain chuckled in amusement, but stepped in to intervene before the two began to engage in a grappling match. "For the record, Ellie's not joining anything in the near future." he clarified. "She's a guest who has done me a great favor, and I expect my companions and friends to treat her with the utmost respect. Understood?"

Both shipmates paused in their scuffle to proudly salute, and then proceeded with their antics while Peter Himmel passed by with an approving nod. Elsa moved as well to follow in his wake, but not before stopping close enough for the wrestling two to hear her beneath the public rancor. "For the record, I think you are absolutely beautiful..." she said to the woman quietly. "...Especially with what you've done with your hair."

The statuesque privateer stared at Elsa, puzzlement initially painting her face like a dog who had just heard an unfamiliar command. Then, her eyes began to soften, and she nodded to the cloaked lady in earnest gratitude. As Elsa hastened to catch up to Peter Himmel again, the disguised Queen's ears could just barely pick out the female crew member's voice as she remarked to her wrestling partner, "Huh... you were right. We _do _need more people like her running around..."

Elsa's face flushed with embarrassment, even though the two were now lost to the feasting and happy bunch that was the _Andersen's Quill _Privateers. _It's just an honest opinion._ Elsa thought to herself ruefully, although the woman's acknowledgement had made her feel unusually warm and fuzzy inside. Thanks to her newfound lease inside this hectic party environment, the disguised Queen stood a little straighter and swelled with pride; she had just managed a troublesome situation, and it was only going to get better from here. As of this moment, she could take on anything life throws at her.

Of course, this thought had only a few seconds to settle inside Elsa's head when something actually did throw itself at her: An entire person in fact, who now wrapped his arms around the cloaked lady as if his life depended on it. "E-Els... You're all right!" he sobbed, smelling like a suspicious blend of unwashed clothing and alcohol. Elsa could feel something distinctly warm and wet spread on her shoulders, and the body hugging her shook with regular choking sounds.

The corsair captain stood above the two with a raised eyebrow, and flicked a finger at the older man's direction. "Is this guy bothering you?" he asked. "He looks easy enough to play ball with. You know, with him being the ball."

"No, not at all!" Elsa hastily exclaimed. She raised a hand to gently pat a somewhat delirious Frode on the back. "He's a friend."

Although perplexed, the captain was evidently satisfied with her answer; he shrugged and walked away by himself, mentioning something about leaving the random vagrant in her care.

"You had no idea..." the aspiring writer sniffled, adjusting his glasses as he separated himself from Elsa. "W-When you just ran off li-like that... I tried running a-after you, but you just disappeared! I tried calling out for the guards for help, but they just told me to stay put while they go investigate! I couldn't even tell them which direction where you were headed, and... I wasn't sure if I was supposed to tell them the-" he paused. "Well, you know."

Elsa sighed, and elbowed him in the arm affectionately. "That's enough worrying, Frode. Everything turned out just fine in the end." To prove her point, she stuck a hand into the pocket of her borrowed vest, and pulled out the little banded sack between her fingers, jingling the coins within with a smile. "You know, I don't think I have the stomach to eat anything right now... but I guess I could still go for a drink."

Frode blinked rapidly at the wallet in Elsa's hands, disbelief and amazement running their courses through his eyes in equal measure. Once he fully processed the situation though, he quietly pocketed his wallet with a bearded smile. Wiping his eyes dry with a thumb, he flicked his chin towards a large wooden structure at the back of the tavern, stocked with bottles and empty glass cups that glimmered in the yellow light. "I could use another drink myself anyway, what with all the craziness that's been going on." he muttered. "Come, the bar is just right there."

Together, the two friends caught up with Peter Himmel, who sat himself on a bar stool with a mug on hand. The captain raised his glass up to the two with a grin, and clicked his tongue to summon a rather heavyset and dour man on the other side of the counter.

It suddenly occurred to Elsa that she'd never seen an actual bartender before, unless if she counted the servants inside the Royal Palace providing the occasional glass of wine. Not that the observation mattered too much, since Frode was talking to him in her stead, but it was just something interesting to think about.

"...Right then, sir." the bartender said. "What would you like to order?"

"I think I'll have another beer, a grilled salmon sandwich, and uh..." Frode glanced back at Elsa. "What do you want me to order, Elizabeth?"

She mentioned earlier that she would have just wanted some water, but the cloaked lady frowned upon reflection. "I think I'll just have a glass of milk." she answered instead.

This only made the bartender stop and stare blankly at her, the corners of his mouth pulled downwards as if he was trying to determine whether or not the cloaked lady was pulling his leg in jest. So did Frode and Peter Himmel for that matter; they too were intrigued by Elsa's choice. The overall effect was like having three statues focusing intently on the disguised Queen, which was not the least bit disconcerting to her. Nope, not at all.

"I-Is that a problem?" she asked, feeling her ears heating up and itch uncontrollably.

Finally, the bartender broke away from his discomforting gaze without a comment, pulling out two glasses of different sizes from below the counter. "...Milk is I've got." he grunted to the cloaked lady. "Wait here."

The captain sipped his beer in contemplation as he watched the large man slip behind a closet door. "That was quite a missed opportunity there, but whatever. Are you sure you don't want me to credit you properly for the capture?"

Already, Elsa began to imagine just how well _that _sort of situation would have fared. She shook her head.

"...I see. Well then, why don't you two just seat yourselves and enjoy?" Peter Himmel stood up from his stool, raising his arms up high to stretch with a yawn. "I've got some business to deal with my folks."

"Oh... alright then." Elsa replied; she felt incredibly grateful that this privateer had proved himself to be a man of his word. "Thank you for everything, Mister Himmel!" Both she and her bespectacled friend Frode sat down on the bar stools, their eyes following the captain as he waved backwards lazily and vanished into the jovial horde.

Now that no one else was around to possibly eavesdrop, Elsa turned to the vagrant, her blue eyes intent and urgent. "Frode have you seen Olaf the Snowman anywhere nearby? I really, really need to speak with him."

The aged man was slightly intimidated by her sudden shift in demeanor, but he nodded. "He won't be here for another ten minutes. Just relax, I hear that he always arrive on time."

Elsa sighed. "Alright, then. As long as this is the only place I am guaranteed to meet him..." she glanced backward at the jostling crewmates, "I guess it's better that I stay."

The two only had to wait for mere moments before the bartender returned with a plate and tin pitcher on hand. Elsa gratefully accepted her order with a smile, which seemed to improve the man's mood just microscopically. However, she couldn't help but notice Frode was a bit more stand-offish; his brows were furrowed, and his green eyes were more focused on the different people dancing and singing past him than his own food. "Is something the matter?" she asked, taking a sip.

"...It's nothing really, I just find it strange that you of all people wouldn't drink alcohol. I've kinda forgotten that you are still in some aspects barely an adult." Frode mumbled, his eyes continuing to shift all around the tavern. "Aren't you in disguise, after all? Doesn't that technically give you a free pass?"

Elsa let the milk settle in her mouth as she considered her answer, staring straight forward at the variations of alcohol and colorful blends placed in full view for one's choosing. "I don't think I'm in a good position to be touching that stuff, in all honesty." she finally whispered back. "No one would really want a Queen of Ice and Snow running an entire country if she's one wineglass too tipsy."

_Or if she is about to prevent an unfathomable horror from destroying all of Arendelle._

Elsa grimaced. _Ugh, not this again..._

Frode snorted in amusement, although it was a half-hearted effort that made Elsa suspect a divided focus. "I was about to say something about royalty and booze... but then you had to remind me about the ice bit." He drank from his mug, and tapped a spot on the counter-top nearby Elsa's hands with a gnarled finger. "By the way, Elizabeth, I couldn't help but notice that you seem to have your, ah, _little problem _under control."

Elsa blinked, and she suddenly stared at her own hands with interest. "You're right..." she muttered, her eyes widening in realization, "this entire day, not even once had I ever used my magic by accident!" She tapped her glass repeatedly, absolutely gleeful when she had absolutely no effect on it. Then, the Snow Queen glanced from side to side, making sure no one except Frode could be paying attention, and touched her drink once more, this time infusing some mental effort on her finger; the milk immediately froze over as a perfectly solid, slightly off-white mass. Elsa giggled softly to herself at the sight, and quickly restored it to normal with a wave of her hand. "I don't know how," she jabbered excitedly, "maybe it's from a lack of nervousness or something, but it's just _so _easy now! Oh, if only Anna and the others could see this! Look, Frode!...

"...Frode?"

Instead of answering back, the older man was now shivering, as pasty-faced as if he was suffering hypothermia, staring down hard at his mug as if directing his eyes anywhere else will risk him his life. For a second, Elsa thought he had been served a bad batch of beer, or perhaps his sandwich had spoiled goods inside.

"Hey... is something the matter, Frode?" she asked more urgently, patting him hard on the back.

The old man flicked his tongue over his dried lips. He tried to look stable and calm, but his shakiness and blood-drained skin was too difficult to ignore. "Th-these guys... don't you recognize any of them?"

Elsa glanced backwards at the crowd. She saw smiling faces of all shapes and sizes actively chattering to each other about mundane topics, such as how there won't be a storm anytime soon despite the chilly summer day and heavy clouds looming overhead, or how the food in the Cuddly Buck ranged from excellent all the way down to barely edible sludge, while their captain tried his hardest to hold a group meeting and make announcements with little success. "Do you?" the disguised Queen asked in confusion, listening the band as the piano playing in the distant sounded increasingly disordered and sloppy.

Frode's voice became incredibly hushed as he leaned closer to Elsa, the smell of clothes becoming a little more distinct much to her discomfort. "Look, I've traveled far and wide, seeing a whole variety of people here and there." He swallowed. "These men and women... until today, the only times I've ever seen _them_ were on wanted posters! Thieves, pillager, mercenaries, battle-hardened veterans... how on Earth did they gather into a single spot without this entire town turning into a warzone!?"

Elsa swallowed, and scrunched up her nose in conflict; she should have expected as much from the moment she realized Peter Himmel was a familiar name. Hiring privateers was one of the more morally grey aspects of her career as Queen, because while they could be invaluable as part of the military force for a kingdom as small as Arendelle, the absolute worst of the bunch could be little more than real pirates backed by government protection. _This_ group in particular was already far more boisterous than she would have tolerated inside her castle.

So if what Frode said was true, something of which she had little doubt, what was keeping this Cuddly Buck tavern from blowing apart like a lit powder keg? There wasn't even a single broken chair, no shattered pieces of china in sight. In fact, the members she had interacted with have been nothing but downright _pleasant_ with her, a complete stranger who just walked in without revealing her status as an authority figure. "Maybe they are just managed very well under good leadership..." Elsa wondered aloud to Frode. "Of course, they could all just be owing each other favors, or perhaps... they just became very good friends?"

Frode shook his head. "I can't be too sure-"

"But of course!" boomed a thunderous voice, ringing clear and strong above the mayhem and band music like the sound of bass drums. "First Mate He XiongQiang, at your service!"

Elsa snapped her head towards the sound's source, and immediately regretted this action as she refrained her hardest from spitting her milk out: towering over her was a some... _thing _that resembled less like a man, and more like a rhinoceros who had learned to walk on two legs. More importantly however, or perhaps more disturbingly, was the fact that he was completely shirtless: The disguised Queen couldn't help but not ignore the great big thing jutting out from his body, a massive gut that can't be properly defined as fat or muscle, but slabs upon slabs of flesh that somehow maintained a solid rock-like appearance, even as it... jiggled. In an attempt to divert her view elsewhere and spare her appetite, Elsa craned her neck all the way up, and found herself staring back at a grinning man with suntanned cheeks, a thick and muscular tree trunk-like neck, clearly Oriental features decorating his face, and a gray peach fuzz haircut not seen very often in countries like Norway.

"Indeed, you are correct about my comrades' former statuses, fellow elder!" XiongQiang boomed once more. His figure of speech was a little disjointed and overly complicated, like he had spent years learning the language only from a dictionary. Even so, he sounded as genial as the quivering of his chin and gut. "However, just like what this beautiful young lady had said earlier, it is thanks to our captain and our bonds of friendship that men and women like us could find honest work, without feeling chained down by the confines of society! Have a view for yourself, you two!" Proudly, he stretched a vast and scarred arm sculpted down to its sinewy contours out to the crowd, subjecting the uncomfortable Queen to further angles of his bulging mass.

"You could use less exclamation points..." Elsa murmured, turning her head around obediently to where the giant pointed: her blue eyes fell upon the _Quill_ Privateers once more, who now actually sat or stood attentively without fidgeting as they listened to their captain.

"...Now that 'Sticky Hand' is finally within our hands, I think we can have enough money to make some much needed repairs to the _Quill,_ stock up on better food, purchase more equipment, all that good stuff." Peter Himmel announced, continuing off a speech Elsa didn't bother paying attention to earlier. "But of course, everyone knows it's the paychecks we're really thinking about, am I right?"

The air rumbled as heads in the crowd turned to each other and spoke in agreement.

"Of course I am." the captain proceeded, smiling merrily. "That is why we'll be splitting the rest of the bounty ninety-to-ten as usual: ninety percent to me because I'm your magnificent and diligent head of the crew, and ten percent to the rest of you folks to split among yourselves, for being my working mules-"

His voice was drowned out by a wave of angry boos and jeers; crewmates began pelting food at him with gusto, one even throwing a whole plump tomato that landed its target squarely with a hearty smack. Red pulpy juice ran down the side of Peter Himmel's head, which only compounded the ridiculous image he was now putting up as a walking garbage disposal. "Hey! That's perfectly good produce you were using as ammunition!" he scolded, plucking the red fruit from its impact site and taking a big bite out of it. "You guys can't take a joke at times, it seems- whoa!"

"...Yeah, he sure does seem like quite the leader, doesn't he?" Elsa remarked with a slight smirk, as Peter Himmel was converted into the rope of a massive, four-way tug of war.

XiongQiang chuckled softly, a first for the big man since he introduced himself. "I can tell from the dry sound of your sarcasm that you don't believe me now, but I was telling the truth when I said we all owe him a great debt for what he has given us-"

"I'm pretty sure you're talking about the opposite- hey watch the arm!" The captain called out in interruption, overhearing XiongQiang's part of the conversation. "Remember when we first met back at that Chinese Junk, X? With the execution by cannon fire?"

The heavy man merely nodded in acknowledgement. "How is it possible for me to forget the day I quit my previous job, Mister Himmel?" He leaned closer to Elsa and Frode, jabbing a thumb back at the uproarious crowd. "Working as a privateer in the West has advantages, but it does force elder people like to me to make certain this overgrown child does not get himself in trouble." he muttered.

"You're not even trying to hide that voice!" Peter Himmel complained. "You'd think all that blubber wrapped around your chest and neck would have tightened your vocal chords and give you less air to speak through- ah! Did I just hear a tear? That was definitely a tear, a ripping noise at my shoulder! I think my limbs are literally coming apart at the seams, gah!"

The First Mate shook his head in disapproval, a motion which caused his entire body to wobble again for the viewer's displeasure. "Alright, alright Mister Himmel, it looks like I have to save your body once more! I'm arriving, so just hang in there!"

"Oh, ha-ha X! That's freaking clever!" the captain sarcastically retorted over the music, whose piano accompaniment became increasingly drunken, loose in rhythm, and rather discordant. It reminded Elsa of Anna's occasional, half-baked attempts to teach herself to play like her older sister.

_Anna..._

"Excuse me, Mister Xiong!" Elsa called out to the massive corsair. "Have you seen Olaf the Snowman anywhere nearby?"

The First Mate slowed his course to glance down at her curiously, and raised a single finger up for her to see. "Firstly, I would like to correct you that my proper first name is Xiong_Qiang._ You may refer to me as Mister He, if you'd like." He raised another finger. "Secondly, you are referring to the snow creature that was rumored to walk and talk like a normal human, right? He should be here any minute now-"

A heavy _thwump_, followed by a wave of surprised yelps and sounds of scraping table legs, busted into the middle of his words, prompting XiongQiang to immediately rush over to investigate.

"It's alright, it's alright!" One of the crew members shouted, holding his arms out to clear a space around him. He stood over a body that lied face-down on the wooden floor, his limbs sprawling in odd angles. "It's just our piano player. Seems to me like he just passed out."

"What, from the booze, or the heaping pile of sweets next to him?" Peter Himmel asked, finally back on his feet and nursing the joints of his arms.

"A little bit from column A, a little bit from column B. He's out cold though, don't think he'll be coming back to us in another hour or so."

Elsa's face flushed; she could distinctly feel a pair of sharp eyes burning into Elsa's back, sending chills and a rash of instinctive itches. However, no one ever said anything, or mentioned her alias, or anything else that could have put her under the spotlight. Eventually, the crowd just decided to move on without a piano player, albeit with some disappointed reluctance. The music felt just a touch hollow, a touch incomplete.

_Why don't you give it a try, Elsa?_

_I... I can't. This was more than enough. I don't know if I can go on any further..._

_...Typical._

_bang bang bang_

The sound echoed in the back of Elsa's mind, and she lifted her head up to look left and right, wondering just what could the sound be. On second thought though, she might have only been hearing things; not one other person inside the pub gave as much as a reaction, proceeding with their chatter as uninterrupted. Frode in particular just stared at her in the midst of eating his sandwich, like if she'd just missed a few working screws from her head.

_bang bang bang_

Elsa rubbernecked in all directions once again, and this time she wasn't alone; people here and there in the crowd began to stop and quiet themselves, quickly bringing down the general volume and atmosphere at an alarmingly fast rate. Within seconds, only the horns and the strings of the band players continued to fill the air with noise.

_bang bang bang_

For what felt like an minute of relative silence, no one did anything but stare at the knocking door. Slowly, one of the crew members raised himself from his position, silently volunteering himself to investigate. Step by step, he trudged across the curious onlookers to one of the windows installed on the side, and tilted his patched tricorn hat to peek through the glass.

"Well?" One of the corsairs asked. "Who is it?"

The man only looked back to his fellow comrades with a rather nonplussed expression, and paced for the door with his hand outstretched towards the brass handle. He gave his crew one last strange look, and swung the door open to reveal the depressingly grey and bleak city scenery outside... and a single, white silhouette. The entire tavern gawked as this lone figure waddled in, barely even half as tall as an average man even if one registered his little tuft of faux hair to his height. Above him, a miniature cloud with a will of its own sprinkled snowflakes everywhere, coating its surroundings with very fine powder.

The creature giggled in earnest, and tilted his head curiously to the crowd as if he was wondering why everyone seemed so stunned. "Hiya guys! I don't know any of you beforehand, so let's make quick introductions first!" he bowed grandly, a gesture that nearly detached his head from the neck up. "I'm Olaf, and I love warm hugs! Now let's get this started, I'm on a tight schedule!"

Like all of the other people who leapt to their feet and clamored to greet Olaf with open arms, Elsa sucked in a harsh breath as she rose to do the same. Almost immediately however, she settled back onto her seat, and stared hard at her half-empty glass of milk.

_...What are you doing?_

Elsa glanced to her right at her wizened friend, whose green eyes flicked at her with the same question in his mind. _Frode was able to figure out who I was with a single glance, after a single day of being friends. Who am I to pretend that Olaf wouldn't be able to spot me from the other side of this tavern?_

Elsa could almost feel herself pull into an exasperated pout. _What reason would you have to care? You're just here to grab him and find the rest of your family, right?_

Elsa jerked her head backwards, noting that Olaf gladly shook hands and exchanging greetings with former convicts and hired guns, the kind of people that made him look severely out of place both physically and temperamentally. They accepted him with all the affection one would give to an idol, and some even tried bobbing the flurry cloud to test its tangibility, much to the snowman's amusement. _You know, why on Earth am I talking to myself so often? I think I might actually be going psychotic- _

_Ah. Olaf, he... he's sitting next to me... Great._

"Oh, thank you for the warm reception guys! Just gimme a bit to warm up, I'll get to you soon!" The little golem piped. "It's a real shame about the piano guy, by the way!" Olaf spun on his seat to face the bartender standing behind the counter, and raised a twig hand to call him up. "I'll have my usual, please."

Elsa eyes widened in surprise. _The usual? Olaf... drinks? How is that supposed to work? Can he even drink? Does he just, I don't know, pour it on top of himself, like a spiked snow cone?_ Of course, the number of questions were only raised when the bartender briefly nodded, and pulled out from beneath the counter... a candlestick. The type that would have been used as a simple reading light in darkened evenings and lonely gatherings. Olaf clapped his stick hands together happily, and stood up on his barstool to lean closer to it, his hands held out to feel its warmth.

There was no time to delay any further; she might as well get started now. Using her elbow, Elsa nudged the snowman in the side. "Pst. Over here." she whispered.

The snowman idly glanced sideways, and his mouth snapped open; at the breakneck speed it fell, Elsa initially thought he was going to lose his upper chin again. "Els-!"

Before he could utter another syllable, Olaf was silenced with a swift fist to the mouth, courtesy of the disguised Queen. As he flailed his stick arms and mumbled something incoherent out of confusion, Elsa desperately raised a finger up to her lips with her other hand, forming a shushing gesture in the hopes that he would understand. Much to Elsa's intense relief, Olaf froze for a couple seconds before finally nodding, as if in comprehension. Elsa sighed, and she gently pulled her hand out of his mouth to give the little guy some time to recover.

Upon his liberation, the snowman proceeded to cough and pat on his chest repeatedly to properly intake air, in spite of a glaring lack of working lungs, or even an airway for that matter. "So anyway," he gasped, "what's with the black hair and the cool get-up, Elsa-"

Once again, Elsa's fist greeted the back of Olaf's throat to cancel out his speech, while her icy blue eyes gave him a very cross look. "Don't mention my name... please." Elsa whispered, nervously glancing sideways to the rest of the blissfully ignorant tavern.

The snowman blinked twice without moving, and then finally mumbled a long, muffled sound that could have been a drawn-out "Oh!" in revelation; finally, Olaf was able to process Elsa's intentions through that white noggin of his. For the last time, the cloaked lady relieved him of her hand, upon which the snowman smacked his mouth experimentally to test its remaining functions. "Alright, alright, I get it... I think." Olaf said, in as serious a tone as he could manage. "What are you doing here at the Cuddly Buck tavern anyway? Anna and Kristoff had been combing the town looking for you, but neither would have guessed that you'd be found in a bar!"

Elsa was about to hotly retort, but then found herself mulling over her family's logic - only a second of consideration was enough to merit Olaf a begrudging nod of admittance. Indeed, the disguised Queen still found her current situation and journey almost too incredible to believe herself.

Of course, that self-note did little to explain a certain snow creature's presence in this pub, in a very energetic and wild environment that would have subjected him to things like careless boot stamps, or likely drunken, belligerent patrons. Elsa couldn't just let Olaf hurt himself that way, she cared too much to let this simply slide: So, the cloaked lady looked at Olaf in the eye, and asked, "What about you? What reasons do you have for staying here?"

The snowman's face twisted into a comically severe frown, and he scratched at his snowy cranium with a twig-like finger. "Well... it all started three weeks ago when I got bored with staying inside the castle. On that day, I decided to go for a little walk outside of the castle walls without telling Anna or Sven first. Being summer and all, the air very was warm, which was totally great by the way, so I first decided to go to the market and find out if I can teach myself to grow apples out of my hands-"

"Hey Olaf! You ready yet?" One of the pub-goers yelled cheerfully.

"Just a second! Olaf replied back, before returning his attention back to Elsa. "Um... where was I, again?" he asked perplexedly. "I was at the part where I was learning to crochet, right?"

_This is taking us nowhere at all. _"Perhaps you should just keep it nice and short?" Elsa helpfully suggested.

The golem nodded. "Oh, okay then! Nice and short, nice and short..." he muttered. Then, his face brightened with the light of inspiration, and he bubbled with glee as he recounted his tale: "I walked into this bar one day, sang and danced, and have been doing the same thing each day ever since. That's... that's pretty much it."

"That's really the whole story?"

"Yep!" The snowman paused. "Come to think of it, do you mind waiting a bit until I'm done? I promised that I'd hang out with them before we go."

"Olaf... are you sure we can even spare time for something like this?" Elsa whispered.

"Well..." Olaf looked back at the group of privateers, his voice growing sober. "I made a promise. Believe it or not, a lot of people are not as happy as they would like to be. Especially in places with all of that alcohol." he explained. "Lots of people come here to have fun and all, but I keep seeing guys here and there with these "fake smiles," you know? Like they are hurting pretty badly inside? It makes one want to help out and give them something to be happy about." The little snowman dipped his chin bashfully, and he began fidgeting with his twiggy fingers. "For me, I want to feel like I've had a positive impact on others, like I'm doing something meaningful..."

Elsa could hardly believe what she was hearing; Olaf's previously cheerful words were now weighed down with something strikingly profound, even sad. "...But you're a great person, Olaf! You keep people like me smiling every day!"

The snowman giggled happily, reverting back to his usual mood and demeanor within a heartbeat. "That's very true, but it never hurts to do a little more, right? I know we need time, but let me indulge in this habit before we go slay a demon, save the kingdom, whatever we're doing..."

Olaf's voice trailed away as his gaze parted from the cloaked lady, and onto the jaunty group playing in the other side of the room, and. Suddenly, he gasped. "Oh, Els-..." he began, his mouth hanging open as Elsa rather pointedly gazed at him. Without skipping a beat, he pushed on by saying, "We don't have a piano accompaniment as of the moment! Why don't you help me and fill in?"

Elsa's heart rate screeched to a stop, and her blood ran as cold as the ice in Arendelle's high mountains. "Oh no, oh nonono-"

"Did somebody say they can play the piano?!" boomed a thunderous and mighty voice. A series of heavy steps that shook the ground at regular intervals gave rise to Mister He the behemoth, and Elsa slapped herself in the forehead in morbid embarrassment. "Is what I just heard the truth, little snowman?"

Mister He being the walking loudspeaker he was, the entire tavern overheard, bursting into cheer and cacophonic applause which caused Elsa to shrink as far back as her bar stool allowed. She would have just blindly pedaled her feet to the door out of the Cuddly Buck, if it weren't for the fact that there were just so many people preventing her from seeing an exit route. "Please!" she protested weakly. "I don't know if I can-"

"Step up over here, don't be shy!"

"Come on, you can do it!"

"Step up and show us what you got!"

"Why isn't she standing up?"

If this was just her family shouting words of encouragement to her, then it was entirely possible that Elsa would have accepted. She loved them, had her absolute trust in them. They understood how Elsa felt, how not to overstep their limits... but none of these privateers were aware of that. No, they just probably saw a cloaked lady who deliberately ignored them, someone who they would interpret as rude for not being receptive, but she can't do anything about it: She tried again and again to speak her denial, but the crew's many eager faces paralyzed her on the spot, tightening her throat. Their voices were starting to escalate, the words are jumbling together into an incomprehensible mess, Elsa didn't know how much longer she could take-

"QUIET!"

The voice was like a gunshot in the midst of all this chaos, with the added bonus of having the same effect; the entire pub was rendered silent instantaneously, ushering in an atmosphere that had likely never showed its face since the Cuddly Buck's establishment. Elsa turned her head to the source, and choked in amazement; Frode stood defiantly against the crowd, in spite of his frail frame and generally diminutive demeanor. His chest rose and fell as he panted for air, and a bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face. Under the curious gaze of onlookers though, his little outburst was quickly snuffed, and the little man sat himself back on his chair with quivering hands and shoulders.

"Well said, old timer..." someone said with a sigh. Peter Himmel emerged from the masses to stand next to Frode, patting the stunned vagrant on the shoulder. The captain turned on his leather heels to his crew members, and declared, "These two are my guests. I am not going to tolerate anyone forcing them into situations they are not comfortable with." He rested another hand on Elsa's shoulder. "If Ellie chooses not to play with us, then we must respect her decision without further question. Understood?"

The whole crew groaned, but they obediently slinked away back to their original spots. The music restarted itself, people moved on to different discussion topics, and bit by bit, the Cuddly Buck tavern was restored to its default environment. Peter Himmel jerked his chin in approval, and lightly jabbed Mister He's side with an elbow. The giant of a man solemnly nodded back in agreement, and turned to the cloaked lady sitting before him. "Forgive me and my friends, we often forget simple things and can be quite rude at times-"

"It's nothing." Elsa replied, cutting Mister He's apology short. "Thank you for your concern."

The two privateers looked somewhat taken aback by the snippy response, maybe even slightly miffed, but they grunted in confirmation. "We'll be waiting for you, Mister Olaf." With that said, the two turned around to rejoin their friends in the celebration.

"...Uh, alright, guys!" Olaf called out, snuffing out the candlelight by pinching it with his fingers. The act naturally caused the wood of his hand to smoke, but the snowman quickly solved the issue by sticking it into his chest. That wasn't any of the golem's concern though; he faced his creator, his hands brought together nervously as he debated on what to say next. "...You sure you don't want to come along?"

"No!" Elsa said reflexively. Then she paused, and stared down at her glass; the milk inside had froze over as a prelude to an anxious breakdown, and was even expanding its way out of the cup. It was a miracle that no one, not even the bartender standing nearby, had noticed. "I mean, not really, but... I know I can, but... It's kind of complicated, Olaf. Just go and have fun already."

"Well, why not?" Olaf asked innocently, a smile widening on his goofy face. "Come on Elsa, it could be like a bonding exercise! Just between the two of us, something real special that we could look back to!"

Elsa snorted. "Sure, if dying of embarrassment is something to remember fondly."

"But... remember three weeks ago when we celebrated your return home?" Olaf asked, scratching his head to rake at his memories. "Remember how you gave everyone that magic snowfall and ice-skating rink? I don't know if you had ever done it before, but I'm sure you love to make people smile, in this case a whole kingdom."

Elsa didn't say anything.

Olaf looked slightly puzzled from her lack of response, but remained ever so genial. "Okay, I get it!" He chirped. "It would have been a lot more fun for you and everyone else if this was back at the castle." He hopped off his bar stool, and skipped his way to the joyous and applauding bunch that was the _Andersen's Quill _Privateers, already working up a jig with his little feet. "Just wait there, I know you and the others have to get ready!" he cried.

As Elsa watched the little golem spin around on his torso while piping notes at the top of his lungs, hand in hand with men and women who she suspected may have never built a snowman themselves, Olaf's question remained glued to the back of her mind with a strange persistence; to be honest, she was still deathly afraid of even thinking about performing with him, but... he was right about how she felt three weeks ago. Maybe she was a bit vain for it, but she actually enjoy showing off her talents, to have others appreciate and smile because she was around. Her family was an obvious choice, but was it worth putting herself in the limelight with complete strangers, the focus of their attention? Was it still worth saying no?

Elsa suddenly got an idea; the cloaked lady turned to Frode, the nearest person she cared for who had spent years living a journey and accumulating experiences, good and bad, within his own life. "...Should I join them?" she asked, hoping he could help; if anyone knew best at teaching others the lessons he'd learned to avoid lifelong regrets, it would be him.

Frode blinked in surprise. "I thought you already said no-" he coughed, "nevermind,.. I get it."

I'm sorry..." Elsa whispered.

"Don't be, this may actually be of use to the both of us." He stared down, swishing the half-drunk beer inside as his mind spun like clockwork. Finally coming to a solution, he faced Elsa seriously, his bright green eyes becoming incredibly focused. "I know you are conflicted and all, so I'll try to ease you into a good decision. Understood?"

Elsa nodded.

"Do you _have_ to do it?"

That question was obvious enough. "No."

"Do you have the time to spare for it?"

Elsa stared pensively at a spot on the counter-top. "Olaf is not going to leave until he's done, so... it wouldn't matter if I say yes or no."

Frode nodded. "Okay then... well, what could you possibly gain if you said yes?"

The answer came instantly to the cloaked lady. "I might start panicking in front of everyone, I might play horribly to their tastes, the others would lose what respect they held for me-"

Frode waved his hand dismissively at her with a scowl. "No no, that's not what I meant at all. Think of something _positive_ that you may gain from this experience. If this is just going to be some random activity, then there's no point for even debating this to yourself."

Elsa's eyes flew open. That was the moment when she realized something incredible: playing piano for a bunch of ex-pirates while in disguise with a talking snowman? Everyone back home would practically suffer a heart attack out of sheer shock! Anna would probably never shut up about it, and maybe Elsa could be one step closer to the big sister that the Princess always deserved...

"...I don't have to do something like this again, do I?"

Frode shrugged. "Why are you asking me? Aren't you the one calling the shots?"

Elsa understood; slowly, she stood up from her seat and excused herself to both Frode and the bartender, who both nodded with silent wishes of good luck. She felt almost dreamlike as she walked, pacing her feet across the wooden floor step by step, gently pushing strangers aside until the mass gave way to an open space where the band's instruments gleamed. At the very center was a well-worn but sturdy upright piano, where Olaf sat and sang animatedly with the other players. Ignoring the wave of hushes running its course through the audience, she sat down next to the snowman, and stared straight ahead at the piano stand without a word.

A twig hand lightly tapped her on the shoulder, so Elsa turned around to see a smiling Olaf leaning closer, until he wrapped his arms around her in an embrace. Shyly but instinctively, the cloaked lady returned the favor, feeling the little creature snuggle closer against her. It was comforting, secure, genuinely therapeutic to hold somebody between her arms, even if said person was decidedly inhuman; the troubles and strife that she had experienced all day felt faint and nonexistent now, like they were only a series of bad dreams that she now recently awoke from.

"There there..." Olaf whispered, patting her on the back. "Don't worry about those guys saying 'aww', they're just being really nice people who want the same."

"...I've missed you." Elsa mumbled, squeezing even tighter.

"Shh, It's good to see you again, too." he replied. "Take your time, just tell me when you're ready, alright?"

Elsa was about to go blind out of rising tears; the sudden relief was almost too overwhelming for her. As a result, she squeezed her eyes shut to compensate, and buried her face deeper into Olaf's shoulder. Seconds ticked by in bliss before she finally released her hold from the snowman, and settled herself comfortably on the piano seat. Someone had placed a music score during the hug session, which looked simple enough for the disguised Queen... except for entire lines of empty bars marked solely with the word "IMPROV".

"Oh, that just mean you string random notes together to the scale and rhythm of the music." Captain Himmel spoke out by the side, noting Elsa's puzzled expression. "Do you need a tutorial or something? X can at least teach you the beat to play to, or..."

Elsa blinked, and shook her head hesitantly. "I think I can manage."

"Fantastic!" Olaf cried out loud, clapping his hands together in glee. "Alright guys, let's play one last song for the day! Go for Dargason!"

The entire tavern burst into uproarious cheers and applause, which somehow didn't prevent Elsa from hearing the clarinet player beginning immediately. Soon, others joined in with steady puffs of air through their horns, swaying side to side with smiles peeking from behind their mouthpieces. Quickly realizing that she was late, she fumbled a little with the piano keys before entering at the same measure as the rest, keeping her hands and fingers as light as the steps of a cheery folk dance.

Overall, everything was coming along quite nicely; the music had a kind of beat that made it difficult not to tap one's feet to, and Elsa even managed to have fun with the improvised parts by playing up and down the F scale. Men and women clapped along at a moderately fast tempo, and smiles were everywhere as far as Elsa's peripheral vision could see.

Then, the Captain and First Mate approached with baritone and tuba respectively on hand. As the sound of tambourines colored the background, they sat down with the rest of the players. Then, Peter Himmel winked mischievously at both the snowman and the cloaked lady as he sucked in a breath, before shouting, "Everyone... to Greensleeves!"

_Beyond the night, a storm ahead  
><em>_dark, uproarious  
><em>_cold, and furious_

_Thunder crashing through the air  
><em>_Shades, they steal my breath  
><em>_Winds howl for my death_

_Must I try, there's no escape  
><em>_Oh, I can't forget  
><em>_All my past regrets_

_Tempest waves crash into me  
><em>_drag me down the deep  
><em>_bring eternal sleep_

_Hoo-rah... Hoo-rah..._

_So grit your teeth, you must fight fate!  
><em>_Just keep on moving, cause you still are_

_Free!  
><em>_Still Free! (Ahahahaha!)_

_Hoist your sails, load up the cannonballs  
><em>_Draw your sword, stomp, and stand up tall,  
><em>_Set your sights, grab your comrades  
><em>_Let out a great HURRAH!_

_Pains are searing, backbones breaking, feet are burning, muscles tearing...  
><em>_Why keep struggling, there's no ending! Forfeit! Stand down!  
><em>_Heel! Kneel! Bend! Bow!_

_Just turn! (Hah!) Around! (Hurrah!)  
><em>_Run!(Hah!) See!(Yah!) Learn!(Rah!) Dream!(Sing with us, Ellie!)_

_Because I've got you standing by me  
><em>_I feel I can finally walk free_

_Yes, it's true  
><em>_Who knows how long I can keep alive, and yet be without you?_

_Come, friends! Join us in celebration, we will be stronger than nations!  
><em>_Forget the storm, I know so long as you stay by my side  
><em>_Everything will be right..._

_Ha ah-ah ah... Paradise yonder!_

_Ooh..._

_Hmm..._

_HURRAH!_

Upon the song's completion, the whole Cuddly Buck tavern erupted into thunderous applause; pub-goers shook the nearest people their arms could reach in jubilant celebration without discernment. In Elsa's case, she had been grabbed by Peter Himmel, who proudly rubbed his knuckles into her bonnet in an amicable noogie. Unfortunately, this act caused the headdress to go horribly askew, until it was almost completely displaced from the cloaked lady's head. The captain stiffened, and yelled about something to do with black dye and white hair-

Elsa's blue eyes widened in alarm; she has just been discovered. Beginning from where her hand came in contact with the keys, the piano blossomed into a coat of rime decorated with frost petals, sending chills across the entire room. Snowflakes scattered everywhere like minuscule shrapnel, coating many a random onlooker's eyebrows with glittering powder. Some of the warm and cozy air of the pub's interior was replaced by the bite of winter's chill, sending shivers among the crowds.

Not even pausing to look back, the disguised Snow Queen tore herself away from the stunned corsair and grabbed Olaf tightly by the hand, lifting his rump right out into the air as she bolted for the front door, and out into the graying landscape of the Arendelle afternoon.

* * *

><p><strong>Remember to compliment a person, any random person, each and every day. Some may seem to ignore you, others may seem to just deflect your praise, but trust me when I say that they could still hear you, and that you could instantly brighten their day simply by paying attention.<strong>

**Don't forget to drop a comment or two, like letting me know if this chapter was worth the wait. _  
><em>**

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen._**


	20. Ch 20: You're Not Safe Here

**I would just like to say "Thank You" to all who had responded to my notes and sent me those messages. The turnout was surprisingly large, bringing me nothing less than great cheer.**

**Regarding the prompts, an FMA AU is pretty close to being official, although I won't say anything about it until after I'm done with this story (which will likely not finish until close to the end of the year; prepare yourself for commitment). **

**And a****bout that Elsanna fic... surprisingly, only _one _of the people who contacted me had any interest in the pairing whatsoever, which is hilariously bizarre considering that this ship possesses the most romantic fics under its belt in FanFiction Net. I guess this just marks the difference between... I don't know, _something_. I might take up the prompt anyway though, if only because some tropes are in severe need of a roasting. No one here has to read it of course, but I don't mind sharing a synopsis if asked.**

****So anyway, I think I've held you guys off from this UNEDITED chapter long enough. I hope you will find this fun to read anyway.****

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 20<span>

You're Not Safe Here

* * *

><p><em>High above the emerald walls<br>__The gale that goes a'soaring  
><em>_Its fury knows no mercy  
><em>_And its chords are always roaring!_

_So trek your way through tales untold  
><em>_Void the dangers that unfold  
><em>_Wall your iron soul from cold..._

_Brace against the din!  
><em>_The roaring gale begins!_

_- Second Variation of a Work Song_

* * *

><p>"Vandals! Rascals! Interferers of the peace! I'll get back at you for what you have done to my property, you low-laying flea-bitten miscreant mongrels!"<p>

"For the last time, what the heck are you talking about, you crazy old coot!?" Anna shouted behind her, her red pigtails bouncing back and forth as she and her partner dashed over the old wood of Arendelle's harbor. A haggard-looking man stormed at their backs, flailing an entire and rather depressed-looking cod high above his head while venting colorful obscenities and accusations of mischief at the two.

"Man, what does this guy have against us?" Kristoff yelled, vaulting over an open supply cargo full of herring.

"I don't know! All I did was ask if he'd seen a woman walking around in a blue traveling cloak! You know, like how that blacksmith described her!" Anna answered back. "And then, he pulled out that giant fish and swung at me!"

Just as she finished her sentence, the Princess's blue eyes widened at a wooden bucket sailing straight for her head. Ducking to avoid a concussion, she proceeded to give the frenzied fisherman a rude look. "Maybe he just doesn't like people stepping on his boat!"

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe, just maybe, most of these sailors are insane?" Kristoff responded; even as he gasped for breath, his voice managed to sound incredibly dry. "This was no better than when we met that big sweaty guy a couple hours ago, the one who wouldn't put on a shirt! That hug was completely uncalled for- Anna, look out!"

The redhead flicked her eyes to the back once more, and choked as an entire barrel flew towards them with alarming speed, almost guaranteed to hit the two if no further actions were taken. Kristoff tried to make a move first, by slowing his feet down and spreading his arms wide so he could block it from hitting his girlfriend.

Before the young man could act though, Anna drew upon a vastly different solution; spotting an old broom propped against a stone wall, she grasped its shaft and swung around on her heels in a circular, smooth motion. Grinning as she felt the stick kick back within her fingers, the Princess fully expected the barrel to be swatted away like an ineffectual housefly. This should have been a given, since barrels are supposed to be built solid lest the maker risked going out of business.

Unfortunately for Anna, the barrel inexplicably behaved less like a sturdy wooden container, and more like a fruit that has ripened in the sun for too long; the thing burst upon contact, spilling its contents everywhere and pummeling the Princess with fish, some sort of gruesome fish byproduct, and stale sea water. Completely stunned, all that the poor gunge-covered girl could do was stand still and blink confusedly.

A spiteful voice rang in the distance, yelling, "And don't you dare try stepping back on my boat again, you rats!"

Kristoff clenched his jaw in seething anger, clearly spelling murder in his brown eyes as he glared at the vindictive fisherman. Balling his hands into large fists, the mountain man began to march forwards with deliberate and heavy steps. Being such a heavily-built person, he emanated quite a presence that managed to disturb the tranquility of the entire harbor almost like heat, tangible even from a distance; the fisherman shuddered in dread anticipation, dropped the cod, and then turned tail to flee before his peace could be further disturbed by a fist to the face.

The mountain man snorted through his nostrils in fury and determination, but just as he was about to break into a run and give chase, a lithe hand gripped him tightly by the shoulder. "Aw come on, look at what that guy just did to you, Anna!" Kristoff protested, turning his head to confront her. Of course, this brought the unintentional side effect of not watching where he stepped; slipping on an errant piece of raw fish, the young man felt his feet give way from beneath him and collapsed to a heap. Not helping matters at all was the fact that Anna still held tightly onto him, so she was roped along for the tumble until both flopped to the floor.

"Oh no... are you alright, Kristoff?" Anna earnestly asked, lying on top of her groaning boyfriend.

At first, Kristoff merely stared upwards at the sky in a daze, seemingly knocked out cold with his eyes open. Then, his large nose twitched, and he gasped and squirmed in panic, pulling an extremely sour and tortured face until finally letting out a resigned sigh. "Okay, please don't be mad Anna... but you smell absolutely disgusting. Seriously, it's almost as bad as Sven's worst musk during summertime."

This remark only sent the Princess in a fit of uncontrollable giggles; now that the adrenaline and excitement from her tense flight had nowhere else to go, they went straight into her head to host a celebration, rendering her joyously delirious. "To be honest, I'm not too bothered by the smell at all!" she laughed, hugging herself closer to Kristoff's chest.

"Seriously?"

"Of course! I've pretty much gotten used to stuff like this ever since we've been together!"

The young man blushed furiously from such an honest comment, resisting the urge to sniff at his own clothes just to make sure they weren't especially pungent. But, even he couldn't help but feel amused as he rubbed a giggling lady's red hair with his knuckles. "What am I going to do with you, you crazy little Princess..." he muttered, wrapping his strong arms around her tightly. Anna replied back by pinching his nose, perfectly content with resting on top of him for the rest of the day. Moments ticked by as they remained in their positions, enjoying each other's company as the bells of ships sang sonorous songs up above, and as the waters slapped rhythmically against the fjord in the background.

"...Um, Anna?"

"Yeah Kristoff?"

"This is really nice and all, but I think we've been lying on the ground for long enough. We're running on limited time, and more importantly... people are beginning to stare."

Anna's cheeks flushed with blood, and she quickly rose with a rushed apology. Dusting her green summer dress clean with a lopsided smile, she wrinkled her nose a little. "Whew... even I'm beginning to feel the smell getting into my head." the Princess noted.

"Here." Kristofff said, offering her a piece of fabric tucked away in his pocket. "It's not exactly a hot water bath and soap but…" He turned his head around to investigate his surroundings and the cloudy sky, nodding curtly in approval. "Olaf told us that he would meet us by the docks around this time before heading back to the castle, with or without Elsa on hand."

Anna patted herself dry without saying a word. Kristoff cringed for his lack of tact, and tried leveling the situation out with a quick amendment: "Hey, knowing our luck, your sister might have already returned home by now, just waiting for us to finally catch up! It'll be just like the last time she… um, ran off on her own... and disappeared..." The young man slapped himself in the forehead, and lowered his head in apologetic shame for his second screw-up. "Sorry, Anna."

The Princess wringed the cloth dry of sea water before reapplying it to herself, but not before comforting the ice harvester with a gentle pat on the shoulder. "It's alright Kristoff, that sort of business is totally past us now! Feel free to refer to it any way that you would like!" Peering through the distance where a street would eventually lead into the Palace, she smiled. "You know what, I think I see Olaf right now! He looks cheerful enough, so I bet you that he has some great news to tell!"

"I have to agree with you on all points there." Kristoff noted, grinning as well when he saw the little white bouncing figure waving vigorously in the distance without a care in the world. However, the smile faded a shade or two as he witnessed the next action the snowman took. "...And he just ran off. Come on, let's follow him before we can attract any more trouble than we already had."

* * *

><p>Perhaps thankfully for everyone involved, the trip following Olaf wasn't anywhere near as eventful as the five minutes preceding it. Through a light afternoon fog that floated lazily in the air, Anna and Kristoff followed the snowman all the way to the entrance of the towering castle gates, where he waited for them... while standing next to a stranger sitting quietly on a bench. For a moment, she reminded Anna of an old woman, a frail, hunched figure who held tightly onto her blue traveling cloak to shield from the cold, especially with the bleached bangs that still retained some raven color in odd places. That was at least, until Olaf tugged at the woman's dress to get her to look up: Although her finer details were a little difficult to discern in the blurred distance, the lady couldn't be much older than Anna herself.<p>

The said stranger stood up with a peculiar look in her eyes, and initially stepped forward with slow, serene steps. Both Anna and Kristoff smiled politely in response, understanding that Olaf probably found yet another informant with a story or two to share.

However, the stranger's steps gradually increased in pace and frequency until she was nearly running at full speed, and then she rammed into the Princess like a cannonball, sending the redhead staggering backwards with the additional weight and force. "Anna…" the lady moaned, nearly choking the astonished girl within her arms. "A-Anna..."

"Whoa there! Are you alright, Miss?" Anna asked in bewilderment.

The lady stiffened, and she pushed herself away to stare at Anna with startlingly blue eyes, eyes that were suspiciously growing wet. "You mean... y-you don't..." she stammered.

Anna's eyebrows shot high upwards; perhaps her hair was messily dyed black, perhaps this was yet another moment in which she looked absolutely different from the last time she saw her, perhaps she was wearing clothes that she has never worn before in all of Anna's life...

...But she couldn't forget the face and voice of her very own elder sister. "E-Elsa!?"

Hearing her name again by one of her most cherished was just too much for the disguised Queen: Elsa completely broke down, tackling her baby sister again and rapidly kissing all over her face in complete joy.

"Eugh, gross! Blech!" Anna squealed in protest, although she couldn't resist the urge to laugh as the platinum-blonde tickled her with even more kisses. "Elsa, I'm happy to see you too, but what is going on?"

At first, the jubilant Queen was too busy drinking in Anna's happy presence to reply, continuing to shower her sister with affection for a few more seconds... and then something peculiar began to reach Elsa senses. She remained standing within Anna's proximity for few moments, cocking her head to a side in confusion… and then the lady's entire face puckered in horror. She retreated, putting as much distance between her and Anna while pinching her nose. "Anna, you reek! What on Earth did you get yourself into!?"

"Fish." Kristoff stated matter-of-factly, choosing to join in on the conversation. "I was wondering when you'd finally notice the smell yourself."

"Kristoff!" Elsa cried. She tackled the mountain man in the same manner as she did with Anna, and planted a big kiss on each of his cheeks. Much to Anna's amusement, the platinum-blonde said absolutely nothing about Kristoff's usual body odor.

"So... the Princess began, brushing a strand of red hair behind her ear as Elsa turned back to her. "Where were you all this time? When we finished and returned to the castle to see you, you were nowhere to be found! In fact, Gerda told us that you left home no later than we did!"

The happiness on Elsa's face abetted, and she dipped her chin shyly as she laid her hands over each other. "Um… all this time, I genuinely wanted to go out with you guys, I really did! I just couldn't do it without feeling so _nervous_ about being around people." She gave her family a guilty, awkward smile, and tugged at the stitching of her borrowed vest. "I still wanted to help out, so when Helge suggested an idea… in the end, I guess I took it a little too far, didn't I?"

"More like you decided to take Helge's suggestion, and ran full-throttle with it." Kristoff snorted. "Still, this must have been a very interesting experience for you, wasn't it?"

"Yeah! I want to hear everything that you got to try out in disguise! You look so different now!" Anna exclaimed excitedly. "I mean, it's a pretty good-different, but how many new people did you get to meet? Where did you go? Did you get to walk from one end of Arendelle to the next?-"

"Anna."

"-Did you get to play pranks? Did you try performing in the middle of Arendelle Square to see how much money you can earn? How many chocolates would you have bought-"

"Anna!" Elsa interrupted, silencing the excited redhead with a clap of her hands. "I know this is exciting and all, and admittedly I really, really want to tell you what I did... but we still have job to do." Blinking a little, she wiped at her blue eyes with her knuckles before giving a weak hiccup. "...I'm sorry about that, guys. I'm just really, really happy to see all of you again..."

"Ah, don't worry about that, Elsa!" Olaf chirped from below. "If I had any tear ducts, I'm pretty sure I would be the first to cry! At least, that's how it works, I think... Wait, do I need a pair of real eyeballs?" The little snowman shook his head. "Nevermind. So, what are we going to do now?"

Elsa nodded in acknowledgement. "We leave town immediately. You guys are aware of our destination, right? It's the Th-"

"Thulite Path, yep!" Anna finished. "It's not too far from here, but that means the monster could get scarily close to the kingdom. Nothing we can't handle, though!"

Elsa stared at everyone without saying a word, and then abruptly slumped over in dejected disappointment. "All of this work... and you already found out for yourselves without help…" she moaned.

While the reaction was comically melodramatic, a slight twinge of embarrassment plucked at the younger sister's heartstrings, so she tried making amends by approaching the platinum-blonde and patting her on the shoulder with a soft hand. "Elsa, what you've done must have been incredible enough as it is, and I'm proud of you for helping out. Come on, let's go-..."

Something lodged itself in Anna's throat as she spoke, canceling out whatever she was about to say next. Her blue eyes peeked over Elsa's shoulder, where she saw the great Palace Gate doors being slowly pushed open by an entire squadron of soldiers, fully equipped with spears on hand and musket rifles strapped to their backs, the blades of their tips and bayonets gleaming even in the dull lighting. Leading the group was Captain Arvid, who stood out from his subordinates by a strip of yellow trim running down his darkly teal military jacket. Each and every one of them wore a grim expression that could only spell trouble.

Anna's blue eyes followed them as the squad marched down the street, and slipped out of sight around the corner. "Did… did anyone just see that?"

The others didn't say anything, although all but Olaf had their faces painted with concern. Finally, Elsa tucked in the bottom of her lips, and pointed a finger to where the soldiers vanished. "I think they were heading for that part of town, westward. Do you think we should check it out?"

The ice harvester crossed his arms, and grunted, "What about the Spøkelse? We've been delayed for long enough as it is."

"Don't worry about that, Kristoff. I've already made arrangements to have a carriage and supplies ready for Sven." Elsa explained. "Once we're done figuring out whatever is happening, we can make a swift exit."

Kristoff blinked at cloaked lady, and eventually relented with a shrug of his shoulders. "Fair enough." he conceded. "Come on then, I'm wondering what's deal with these military guys too..."

* * *

><p>As the company briskly walked through the streets, Anna couldn't help but feel on edge, like something was silently grinding against her teeth and making her hairs stand on end. It raised the bumps on her skin, made the air feel chillier and more ominous than it already was. She looked from one side of the road to the next, still feeling the uneasiness taint her conscious like repugnant mold. That was when it suddenly struck Anna; the town was entirely bare of its own townspeople. Not even the homes were occupied or lit. There was still an ambiance of chatter that can be heard in the distance, but that only made Arendelle one step closer to being a ghost town. Where were they? Where did they go?<p>

The answer laid at the western edge of town, where the source of background noise came from; what looked like the entire population of the city gathered around, clamoring to have a look at the other side of the crowd. Kristoff overlooked all of the excitement with an exasperated sigh, and hoisted Olaf up on his shoulders. Then, he glanced at the two sisters, and flicked his chin towards the crowd. "Follow me."

With Anna hanging onto Kristoff by his shirt, and Elsa in turn gripping on the back of Anna's dress, the company was able to trudge through to the very front, jostling others aside and slipping through cracks until they reached a clearing that opened to the Arendelle woods. There, a horrible sight came to greet them: Escorted by soldiers were ragged-looking people, all of their clothes and what little possessions they carried in tatters. Mothers held onto crying babies coated in ash, and children had sinister cuts on their knees and elbows that oozed faint trickles of dark blood. Some people were carried on stretchers, looking badly battered and bruised all over. Others walked on crudely bandaged limbs, which only exacerbated the pain in their faces and the lifelessness in their eyes. They looked more like refugees of some cataclysmic battlefield, a vicious war waged without anyone's knowledge.

Next to Anna, Elsa lifted a hand up to her mouth to stifle a horrified gasp. "They… aren't they one of Arendelle's rural villages? It looks like they all left their homes to come here…"

"Everyone, stand back!" Shouted an authoritarian voice; Captain Arvid stepped from the trail of injured towards the curious audience. He held his gloved hands out in front of them, splitting the horde apart to clear a path. "Return to your homes immediately, there is nothing for you to see here!"

"Don't you dare say things like that!"

The Guard Captain bristled to the ends of his trimmed beard, and he slowly turned around back to the battered group of villagers with a questioning eyebrow. From within, a ragged-looking woman emerged, sporting a hastily-constructed crutch while nursing her abdomen. The man gave her a pointed look, but she didn't pay him any heed.

"Listen everyone! Please, it's for your safety!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. "You have to run from this place, or else all of you will be at risk! A monstrous giant has descended from the high mountains, tearing down all of our homes and destroying everything! Go now, before you too are subjected to its rampage!"

Mutters slithered throughout the crowd, some of them naturally questioning the crutched woman's sanity. After all, admitting that a giant creature was responsible for anything is an easy way to get laughed at in public, especially given the noticeable lack of giant monsters roaming the lands of Norway these days. Giants and other mysterious creatures were supposed to be told during fairy tales to scare children and easily-frightened adults, and only exist in fairy tales; even trolls, a frequent discussion topic among the folks living on mountainsides, were widely regarded as tall tales told by the rural man, with little basis and grounds for reality. Anything to suggest otherwise is to question years spent living mundane lives tailored for safety, security, and comfort away from the wild and the unknown shadows of the night.

Of course, most of the onlookers sounded genuinely concerned by the injured woman's words, no doubt recalling the more… interesting aspects introduced into their lives over the course of three weeks. They had a sorceress for a Queen, a snowman that could walk and talk, and many strange and cryptic stories told with increasing frequency in Arendelle's mountain ranges… what can possibly be done to prove the poor woman wrong?

"None of you are listening..." The said refugee mumbled to herself as she looked around the audience, still noticing the disbelief in their eyes. She sucked in a breath, and shouted: "Look, I saw him for myself! He was a great hulking thing that could have towered over even the tallest man! His heaving chest and belly shook the ground with every step, and his back was covered with spiny crystals! Men flew when he swung his arms and kicked, and his anger only served to make him even stronger! Please, you have to believe me!"

Something brushed past Anna's side, breaking her out of her enraptured listening; the telltale blue cloak was enough to tell her that Elsa wasn't taking these news very well. Almost instinctively, the Princess reached out to hold her back-

An earsplitting howl rang through the misted air, powerful enough to be heard from all corners of town, deep enough to rattle the base of Anna's feet and spine, resonant enough to interfere with her very heartbeats. It wasn't so much as a sound as a force of nature, like towering ocean waves capsizing mighty galleons, or an avalanche burying all in its wake without discrimination before leaving a clean, forgotten slate. The best thing anyone could have described it was as if a bear the size of a house ripped its chords in the echoing mountains, but that was only but a pale image to the real deal: It was terrific, it was alien, it was absolutely raging and scornful... but most importantly, it was purely primal. The roar, having not been heard for entire generations has now reintroduced itself with a vengeance, bringing along the natural response that used to touch humans so long ago; fear. Fear that signified just how easily life can be snuffed away, fear that speak of avoidable accidents and miscalculations that leads to fatal consequences. Fear for the unknown that lies waiting in the dark, fear that one day, one may never get to enjoy that one last ray of skylight, that one last touch of a loved one.

Yes, it was the fear that reminded people that they were just prey, mere insignificant specks of existence, to something much greater and terrible than they could comprehend in this massive, incomprehensible world.

Somebody screamed.

The effect was simply mass hysteria; people began to yell at the top of their lungs, shoving strangers aside as they frenziedly looked for cover that they inherently knew would never be enough. Others simply forfeited, standing completely still with frozen expressions on their faces as if they'd just died standing up. Infusing with the already chaotic air was the heavy slamming of doors and windows as citizens and neighbors shut each other out, forming a wretched symphony that had no rhyme or reason. The horde of people became an absolute maelstrom, where there was no beginning or end to the pandemonium that took its terrifying hold.

Only a few within Arendelle retained enough of their composure without losing their heads: Anna and Kristoff were among them, but they were also joined by people from all walks of life, ranging from parents, to workers, cooks, servants, to even innocent children; they did their best to keep a level head and calm the nearest hysteric down, sometimes separating a group before a mindless brawl could take place, even as they themselves shivered down to their toes with no relation to the cold, the monster's cry still taking its hold on their minds.

Elsa too worked her hardest to keep her people safe and sound, although unlike the others she was decidedly less tranquil about it; dark though stormed in her mind, plaguing her with guilt and frustration as she yanked people roughly by their collars. What she was doing wasn't anywhere close to fast enough, and it doesn't make sense; she was a Queen, and an enchantress bestowed with the powers of ice and snow. She could create an entire winter with a snap of her fingers. Why couldn't she protect her own people from her own mistakes, why must she have created Marshmallow? Now that he's uncontrollably rampaging across towns, this puts her squarely into blame for these villagers' anguish.

_I did this._ She thought to herself, as she walked through the swarming people to face the mountains from beyond the fjord. _It is all my fault that these people here are afraid._.. Elsa looked down at her borrowed vest and dress, the ones that had kept her hidden from the public view for so long. What seemed like a blessing then was now a hindrance, one that had no place in what she was about to do.

She couldn't take it anymore.

A single ball of sparkling blue light flew up to the sky, trailblazing its own path like a miniature comet. It shone with absolute brilliance, replacing the grey and dreary Arendelle landscape with a wash of cerulean, almost blinding in the suddenness of the change. When the flare slowed in speed and reached its maximum height, it exploded with a distinct _pop_, releasing streams of stars everywhere. A flooding wave of winter air rushed through the streets as a result, frosting nearby structures, sending goosebumps up one's skin as a greeting: While the previous atmosphere was rather brisk, especially considering the summer season, this was just simple biting, bitter cold.

People stopped in their tracks to shiver and look up; a delicate snowfall has now sprinkled downwards, illuminated by tiny motes that glowed against the graying clouds. Silence rolled with all the presence of deep thunder; in that one moment, the blazing spectacle had pierced through the murk of confusion and fear with all the dexterity of a spear, pacifying the entire town.

Eyes flitted in every direction, searching for the source of this phenomenon. Eventually, they traced the spent comet's flowing tail, which lead directly down to the middle of the once-panicking horde, and to a single woman in a blue traveling cloak with an outstretched hand.

The lady darted her view from side to side, painfully aware that she might as well had the entire kingdom focusing on her… but then she scowled, tearing off her bonnet and running a flickering hand over her hair. Onlookers gasped as raven strands gave way to near-white, but she didn't stop there; stamping one feet on the ground, an elaborate snowflake platform made of ice materialized out of nothing, lifting her high above even the tallest citizen's head with flashes and wisps of sky-blue sparks, until she towered high above as how a proper Queen should address to her subjects.

"Qu-Queen Elsa!?"

"Your Majesty!"

"It's the Queen!"

"What is the Snow Queen doing here!?"

Elsa could already feel herself withering away from these excited interjections, but she steeled herself into standing straight and composed, using her raised crystalline platform to isolate herself from the population who now strained to get a better look at her. Having to deal with this sort of pressure all day, she found some comfort out of growing more and more accustomed to these situations.

"E-... Elizabeth?"

The Queen's blood ran still. Slowly, Elsa turned her head towards the voice, and swallowed hard as she began picking out specific faces in the crowd, people who only ever knew her as just a stranger with a penchant for odd questions, or even worse, as a supposed "friend" by the name of _Elizabeth_: the Snow Queen could barely maintain eye contact with a man who she'd previously seen at the bar, before accidentally coming across a stunned blacksmith with his mouth agape. She tore her eyes away from him, and then realized the next person she was looking at was a shivering slip of a girl who stood out like a lone flower in a snowfield, her wide eyes going through the motions that ranged from confusion, to distress, to-

The Snow Queen squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't want to see the betrayal in their eyes, she didn't want to feel like she deceived her people's trust any further than she already had.

"Everyone, listen to me!" Elsa commanded. "I am aware of what is at stake here, and as Queen of Arendelle I will take responsibility and deal with this monster before night falls!"

"..Take responsibility?"

"What is she talking about?"

"Do you think she can win-"

"Furthermore!" Elsa pressed on, swiping a hand to cut off the whispers within the crowd. "You must not leave your homes or the boundaries of this town tonight! There is danger at work here, and I cannot protect everyone, even with my powers, if any one of you leave without my authorization! Those who have been displaced by the giant creature, have my guards escort you into the Royal Palace! You are dismissed!"

The audience slowly melted away under the Queen's orders, thinning out the crowd enough for a few individuals to walk up to her with ease. Elsa's blue eyes scanned across them, selecting out the uniformed captain currently directing his soldiers with a final command. "Captain Arvid, I am in need of you assistance! And bring your horse!" The Head Guard spun on his heels to promptly salute the Snow Queen, and paced his way before disappearing into the mist and out of sight.

"Elsa!" Anna exclaimed.

"You must return to the castle too, Anna. Take Olaf and Kristoff with you, and pack any other belongings for the journey ahead."

"Elsa, what are you talking about?" Anna protested. "Are you listening to yourself right now? You sound as if you are going facing Marshmallow alone!"

"That's because I fully intend on doing just that." Elsa replied affirmatively, stepping down from her crystalline pedestal with stairs that formed beneath her feet. "If I don't do anything now, we will have to worry about _two _threats simultaneously endangering the kingdom."

"But-"

"Think about it, Anna - my powers are more than enough to either pacify Marshmallow and have him leave everybody alone, or to…" Elsa hesitated, and then shook her head in grim determination. "...Or to take care of him once and for all. Once he is out of the equation, we should have an easier time dealing with the Spøkelse uninterrupted."

The redheaded Princess pulled a sullen face, and she placed her hands on her hips with a scowl. "But Elsa, I don't want us to be separated again! Who knows what could possibly happen if you just go off on your own once again?"

"Anna, please!" Elsa exclaimed, staring at her little sister straight in the eye. The redhead blinked; within her elder sister's icy blue eyes were dark shadows of weariness, pain, anger... and desperation. "I _have _to do this… or I wouldn't ever forgive myself." She raised a hand towards the direction of the castle, where the last refugee now disappeared behind a corner. "Have you seen those villagers? I'm supposed to be the one protecting them, to keep them safe..." She sighed, and held herself within her arms as she looked away. "I-… I don't know if I can forgive myself if I don't make this right."

A massive figure on four legs approached the two with hoofed steps, tossing its trimmed head with a proud snort. The horse stared at the sisters with dark, unblinking eyes, and puffed steam through great nostrils that blew back Anna's pigtails and bangs. Seated on top was Arvid, who overlooked them with patient, expectant eyes. Without a word, he lent a hand towards the Queen of Arendelle. She took it, and was carefully lifted to the back of his horse.

"Elsa, wait!" Anna cried, gripping onto one of the steed's reign. Her big sister turned her head to the Princess, her icy blue eyes sad but resolute.

"Just... just try to stay safe, okay?" the redhead said, releasing her hold with the reluctance of a little child finally saying good-bye to her security blanket. The gesture was wholly unbecoming of Anna, causing the platinum-blonde to shudder in ugly revelation: she might as well be their mother in this situation, going out into the unknown world with a very possible chance of never returning. She could still easily recall the previous Queen who resembled Anna so well, smiling to a terrified teenage girl to tell her that...

...that...

_...You'll be fine, Elsa._

The Queen of Arendelle blinked out of her trance. For everyone's sake, for those who she had grown to love with all her heart, Elsa will not make the same mistake. Nodding to herself, the lady smiled a little guiltily for the distress her baby sister was clearly going through. "I will return before nightfall, Anna. I'll see you there before long."

"Your Majesty," the Captain declared, "I have men stationed at the town's boundaries who could be of assistance to us-"

"-There will be no need." Elsa politely interrupted. "Just take me due west, until we are deep enough into the woods."

The Guard looked almost hesitant, especially as he flicked his view to the redhead Princess who now watched the two in silence. "...Very well, Your Majesty. Hold on tightly!" He shouted a command to his steed, and they galloped off to the distance. Anna continued watching them, even as they gradually grew smaller and smaller, until they vanished completely into the afternoon mist.

A heavy hand rested itself on Anna's arm, prompting her to glance to the side; Kristoff looked back at her, a neutral expression worn on his face. "Come on," he said, "let's go get Sven out of his stable."

Anna tried her best to muster up the will to move, but she continued to look out to where Elsa and Captain Arvid disappeared. "...Do you think she'll be alright?"

The mountain man grunted, briefly looking just as troubled as his girlfriend. "She wouldn't have any problems if it really was Marshmallow over there... I mean, the rumors seem to line up pretty well-"

"What rumors?" asked a man's voice. "You mean the Snow Monster of the North Mountain?"

Both Anna and Kristoff turned their heads to the source, and raised their eyebrows upon seeing a familiar face approach them. "...Wait a minute." Kristoff muttered. "Aren't you that blacksmith, Sigurd?"

"Ah, so you cared to remember! Well then, now I certainly feel I owe you my theories about that monster..."

* * *

><p>Careful as to not slip off from Captain Arvid's horse and onto the forest floor, Elsa unclasped her hair bun, letting the single plait drift freely in the air as the steed galloped uphill through clearings and over gnarled roots. The high columns of trees zipped by her peripheral vision as she stared ahead, her teeth clenched in grim resolve. In front of her, the uniformed man flicked his eyes backwards on occasion, always with a hint of uneasiness in his eyes. For most of the trip, they were silent.<p>

"Halt." Elsa commanded, lifting a hand. They have reached a clearing where the number of trees were not so densely packed, with a sizable area that leveled out the hilltop. Behind them was the barely visible kingdom, which was currently a speck standing out of the grey cliffsides and rolling waters.

The Captain grunted in obedience, and pulled the reigns of his horse. Once the beast finally stopped with a soft whinny, the Snow Queen descended from her seat, landing a little clumsily onto the small piles of fallen leaves and broken twigs. Surveying her surroundings with an approving nod, she gathered power around her fingertips, manifesting as motes of blue and white light grouping together into a luminescent chunk of ice.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty..." the Captain of the Guard began. "Are you sure that you wouldn't require assistance?"

The Queen shook her head. "I just need you to stay by the sidelines, in case if there's any trouble." She looked back out of the distance, into the grey fog where Marshmallow could probably be lurking unseen. With a release of her will, the ball shot upwards like a rocket, popping into another brilliant flare that could have been seen for kilometers around. The message carried in it was simple: _I am here._

"I created this creature, Captain Arvid. I cannot allow yet another to deal with him in good conscience except for myself."

The man remained silent for a few seconds as he stared at the magical trail of snow leading to their location, before finally bowing his head in response. "Of course, Queen Elsa."

The Queen of Ice and Snow sagged in relief, and smiled weakly at the uniformed man and his ride. Thank you-"

_...High above the emerald walls, the gale that goes a'soaring..._

The rumbling voice sent venomous needles and chills up Elsa's spine, and she snapped her head back to the wilderness in reflexive panic. Out of her vision, the horse began stomp and kick in a fit of nervous pique, requiring all of the Captain's veteran years of service just to remain seated and manage the creature before it could hurt something.

_...Its fury knows no mercy, and its voice is always roaring..._

Something wasn't right. When she created Marshmallow those three weeks ago at the North Mountain, all she had in mind was the explicit desire to be left alone, in any ways possible. This was reflected in the golem himself, who in the short time she had spent with him did nothing but ward away intruders, attacking only when stricken first. While a snowman like Olaf was able to form an entirely unique and full personality, that was because she just feeling... happy. Happy for being free, happy for finally being less of a burden to her family and her kingdom... or at least, so she thought at the time. Marshmallow, on the other hand, was always meant to be a guardian...

_"I can only get within eyesight before being chased back down by that snow giant! The thing never leaves its post, ever!"_ whispered a familiar recollection.

"No... no no no!" Elsa whispered. "It... it can't be...!"

"Your Majesty, what's the matter?" Arvid shouted, fear touching his voice in between commands at his horse to settle down.

Elsa whipped her head back at him, and shouted: "I was wrong! Get back to the kingdom without me, have each and every citizen within the castle walls!" She faced forward, and spread her hands out to gather even more will at her fingertips. "I'll buy you some time and slow it down."

"Queen Elsa, I cannot just leave you here to get yourself potentially killed! As Captain-"

"-As Captain of the Guard, you must follow your orders!" Elsa snapped back, finishing the sentence for him. "I need you to alert everyone and give out commands while I'm still here! Now go, before it's too late!" The Queen of Ice and Snow raised her hands high up into the air, causing the ground to rumble like a minor earthquake all around her as her sorcery began to take effect: Spires that glistened and shimmered sprouted from the forest floor, growing as tall as the surrounding trees, forming equally-spaced rows that stretched as far as the eye can see. The gaps in-between were then filled and reinforced by interlocking columns of thick ice, some intersecting around the bark of trees to provide extra strength and reinforcement. From behind, massive pillars rammed into the wall at slanted angles with the force of a gunshot, providing even more support to the newly-created ice barricade: what was once nothing was now a beautiful and mighty fortress structure that exhumed strength and fortitude, the sole source of vibrant color and order in the grayed wilderness. Rimed patterns of flowers and snowflakes spanned across, glittering like constellations harvested straight from a night sky.

At the very top stood Elsa, who now turned back to the awe-struck captain and his horse, her cape flapping in grandly in the wind, her eyes as stunningly blue as her massive craft. The man swallowed nervously, and finally pulled on a reign to bring the horse around. The Snow Queen watched them sadly as they disappeared into the mist and the trees, towards that speck that they all called home.

..._ Brace against the din! The roaring gale begins..._

The sound of footsteps could be heard overhead, heavy, dull, and muted, pacing at the same tempo as the chanting of this unsettling poem. Elsa's entire body tensed, and she breathed slowly as she waited with her senses alert, counting seconds as time walked by...

A faint, silhouette darkened the mist ahead of her, casting a shadow that stretched across the floor like a spill of black ink. As it drew closer, Elsa watched with dawning horror as the shape became more defined, more pronounced, revealing details that was completely otherworldly to the Queen's awareness and knowledge: For one, the creature was definitely humanoid, and easily over twice as tall as she was. It's face reminded Elsa of a grizzled, battle-scarred, mean-spirited bald man, with shadowed eyes and wrinkles like a hybrid of granite and elephant skin. Its jaw was inhumanly angled, and had three jagged stone outcroppings jutting out of its chin in place of a beard. Its heaving and sinewy chest was as broad as a horse carriage, and while the body tapered downwards to a relatively small waist, a pot belly bulging out nevertheless signified physical bulk. Its limbs were bizarrely arranged as well; bone-thin arms and legs expanded to the girth of full-grown trees from the elbows and knees down, with fingers as thick as pillars and shovel-sized fingernails caked in what seemed to be years and years of dirt and refuse.

Most strikingly of all, however, was what the monster had on its back; crystalline spines grew from its great back and shoulders, illuminated by some unknown internal source. The grandest of these structures were two giant hexagonal prisms extending from its shoulder blades, bathing the nearby scenery in amethyst-purple light.

The spines clinked together with primitive chiming notes, as the giant stopped in front of the magically-created wall. Observing it with an almost curious interest, the monster then looked up to stare straight at the Queen of Ice and Snow, its mouth forming a wide grin with mossy, tombstone teeth.

"Ah... so you were the one responsible for that fascinating light..." the giant said. Its voice physically assaulted Elsa's ears like serrated chunks of stone and gravel grating each other in the deepest, darkest crevices of the Earth. "How do you do, human? If you don't mind assisting a simple traveler, kindly tell me the closest route to Arendelle."

Shrugging off the urge to cover her ears, Elsa demanded, "Why would you like to know?"

The monster's pleased smile grew even wider. "So I can crush its inhabitants to a pulp, and burn that little fishing village to the ground."

* * *

><p><strong>It's not like his appearance came entirely out of left-field.<strong>

**Questions? Thoughts? Theories? You can either share them with me, or post them as a review below.**

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen. _Happy Frozen Fandom Month and Snow Sisters Week.  
><strong>


	21. Ch 21: We Can Work This Out Together

**Should I do away with the author's notes? I mean, I enjoy sharing my current thoughts given that my mouth is normally glued shut most of the day, but I know there are readers out there who'd think these things may detract from the writing: In fact, I got one guy who suggested this a while ago in a parting review before he stopped following my story. **

**That is actually awesome. More people should add some constructive criticism if they choose to leave a work, just as a token of farewell and respect.**

**Also, RohnHazard is officially on hiatus in proof-reading duty, so this is yet another UNEDITED chapter. I've already got one offer from a follower to help out, but I'm still deciding whether or not it is more beneficial just to deal with editing myself. I'm still thinking about it, though!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 21<span>

We Can Work This Out Together

* * *

><p>"...Who are you?" Elsa asked, scowling hard at the hulking monster before her.<p>

The said creature stared back at the Snow Queen, standing only a couple meters shorter than the prismatic ice wall that she erected against him. "The little girl wants to know who am I, how adorable..."

"You haven't answered my question, giant!" Elsa snapped, clicking her heel against the shimmering ice. The magically-crafted structure shivered in response, and sprouted an array of icicles that angled themselves toward the beast, each conical spike longer and thicker than a human's forearm.

The giant crossed his thick and scarred arms, unfazed by the platinum-blonde's intimidation display. "While my name is none of your concern, simian, I wouldn't have you just generalize me…" he sniffed. "I suppose I will at least tell you what I am." Standing up straight and tall, with the crown of his bald head approaching closer to the wall's height, he knocked on his barrel chest with thick knuckles four times. It was an unfamiliar gesture, but anyone would have quickly identified it as a form of introductory greeting. "I am what many had uttered in terror of days past, when lesser ilk such as humans still understood their place and hid from the rest of the world, cowering away as beings of old roamed the land free, unchallenged. I am one of the feared, I am one of the hated, I am one of the revered." The monster grinned, revealing even more of his moss-colored teeth. "I am a Bergrisi."

"That's quite a mouthful you have there..." Elsa remarked, trying to sound casual by drawling her voice out. Clicking her heel against the barricade once more, she willed the gleaming spikes to conspicuously edge even closer to the Bergrisi's center of mass, yet another signal to make sure that she wasn't one to be toyed with. "Given that you are actively not trying to tear down this wall right away, I have reason to believe you are willing to talk."

The giant froze, and the skin on his forehead creased and formed ridges as his shadowed eyes widened. If the Queen didn't know any better, she would have the she'd taken the beast by surprise, even pleasantly so. "Hm... you have a point, human. Perhaps it's because you have taken a strong hold of my curiosity, what with this blatant and impressive use of elemental magic you have there." Leaning close, the Bergrisi flicked the wall with a grey finger, causing the ice to quake violently beneath the Queen's feet; she was forced to wave her arms outwards just so she couldn't slip backwards.

The monster smirked at Elsa, and exhaled a little too close for her comfort: it was surprisingly lacking in both temperature and stench, smelling more like peat than anything else, but its sheer volume and magnitude made her skin crawl as if she was dangling in front of the breathing, gaping maws of a very living Earth. "Now it is my turn to be the one asking questions, girl: What exactly are you, and why are you so interested in blocking me off from the fishing village?"

The Queen of Ice and Snow clenched her teeth, even as the cogs inside her head spun in overtime. _If this creature is truly willing to hold off violence just so he could maintain a conversation,_ she thought,_I should humor him. Buy some time, think of some strategies and alternate approaches to stave him off. He seemed impressed enough, perhaps we can avoid bloodshed if I can just convince him to stop…_

_That's wishful thinking, Elsa._

_I know..._The Snow Queen quietly placed a hand behind her back, glowing motes gathering at her fingertips in concealment. ..._But if you're right, at least it wouldn't be for lack of trying._

She breathed long and slow through her nose, and took a single step forward, her jaw set in resolution, her voice ringing with authority. "I am Queen Elsa of Arendelle, Mister Bergrisi." she declared. "Contrary to what you may think, Arendelle is not a simple settlement, but an entire kingdom spanning across the mountains and the fields... including a certain little village west from here. Earlier, its people were forced to take shelter in my town because it was terrorized by a certain monster..." Her face twisted in anger, and power began to collect in the air around her, manifesting as heavy, snowflake-instilled mist that pooled around her shoes and down both sides of the walls. "If that creature turned out to be you, I'm going to hold you accountable for their losses."

The giant blinked. He gaped absentmindedly at the Snow Queen with his mouth slightly parted, when he tucked in his square jaw as his body began to shake. "Gu-..." His shoulders hopped with a hiccup before proceeding at a regular tempo, increasing as a sound emerged from his chest. "Gura-..." It grew louder and louder, starting out as simple little huffs of air until it finally graduating into something akin to choking, his bulging belly bouncing up and down.

Elsa blinked. The Bergrisi was _laughing_.

"Gurahahahaha!" he roared, shaking icicles off the barricade with his voice alone, once more destabilizing the Queen from her standing posture. The giant threw his head backwards as he broke down into full-on guffaws, his mouth wide open with scornful mirth. "Oh, that is just rich. What, you're telling me that Adam the Adventurer decided to send his wife, rather than face me himself like the good old days?" he mocked, wiping tears from his shaded eyes with the back of a finger. "That man should know better-"

"-Adam is dead." Elsa coldly interrupted. "I don't know what you have been doing all this time, since you seem to know him so personally, but he's been deceased for centuries."

The words might as well have been a chunk of ice lobbed at the Bergrisi: his previously affable mood made a complete turnaround, marked by the breakneck sobering of his aged granite face. He glared at Elsa as if to discern deception, a favor which she returned with dispassionate, coldly blue eyes. Several tense seconds passed by with the two trading gazes, before the Bergrisi finally broke away with a sigh, unpleased by what he discovered.

"Hmph." he remarked. "I've forgotten how humans don't naturally last long... stupid really. If he was such a hero to others, than he should have taken up position as a Sage or something." The Bergrisi's expression twisted in absolute fury without warning, and he drew his hand into a fist the size of a barrel before slamming it against the crystalline wall. The force behind the strike was astounding, and while both the fortification and Elsa managed not to collapse, the entire structure rattled violently from the inside, prompting the trees fortifying it to whisper angrily though their leaves, and for the pillar supports in the back to chip and crumble. Slivers of ice bounced away as Elsa hugged tightly to her structure, fearing that she may fall over.

Faint crackles popping from below prompted the platinum-blonde to look down: Deep within the barricade, a single web-like crack sprawled, a mark bleeding dull red against the translucent blue ice.

A couple of lethal-looking icicles dropped unceremoniously from the Bergrisi hand, leaving behind only faint scratches on tough skin. "Unfortunately for you..." he growled, all traces of humor now removed from his face. "Arendelle no longer has anyone to stop me from its destruction."

"Why though?" Elsa asked, standing back up to look at the Bergrisi in the eye. Her cape billowed as the wind started to pick up speed, illuminated by flecks of snow that gave shape and dimension to the air itself. The effects were stunning from an outsider's perspective, and even the giant was spellbound into looking following the flowing air. The Snow Queen flicked her wrist, commanding to snow to wrap around her in a stunning veil. "Your Adam the Adventurer is no longer here, Mister Bergrisi. Why must you target Arendelle now, when it hasn't offended you in generations? There is literally nothing left here that could possibly merit revenge anymore!" She swiped a hand behind her, flipping her cape in the process. "Why must you still seek to destroy?"

The monster bared his tombstone teeth in a grin, one too ferocious and too wide to be associated as human. "Because a hideous child from the South doesn't know his place, stinking up the air with his foul mist, waking me from my slumber..." Rolling his shoulders and fingers to the mottled sound of popping joints, he added: "He wants to destroy Arendelle and its people. Might as well pay great insult to him by robbing him of the deed."

_Wait, what? _"Could you be possibly referring to the Spøkelse of Ravendall?" the platinum-blonde blurted out.

The giant tilted his head. "Oh, so you know about his coming, don't you?"

This time, it was Elsa's turn to be completely flabbergasted by new information: Out of all the possible reasons, out of all the motives that could have been considered, the Bergrisi was going to attack the kingdom... because it specifically _wanted_ to antagonize the Spøkelse. It was absolutely asinine, totally unreasonable! Why would the giant choose this? What does he possibly have to prove for himself? What sort of thought process could possibly lead to this conclusion?

At some point in Elsa's confusion, something must have triggered her mouth to run by itself; without thinking, she suggested: "Then... why don't we arrange an alliance together?" She sucked a breath in shock, but a realization halted her from withdrawing her statement - It was a wild idea to be sure, but she could use all the help she could get if it would make facing the Spøkelse easier. This giant obviously had his physical prowess, but that wasn't of any use against an angry, intangible spirit of power. Rather, the Snow Queen was much more interested in this creature's "knowledge": The Bergrisi was old, old enough to have walked the Earth before Arendelle was even established officially as a kingdom, equipped with the ability to survive for so long and yet behave so confidently in the face of an elemental sorceress. He might even understand the Spøkelse on a level that cannot be covered by books or trolls, providing details about the ghost capabilities, its hidden motivations, its current location, forgotten secrets that can quickly vanquish it...

_...And what makes you think you can get him to join our side?_

"Mister Bergrisi," Elsa began, ignoring the inner skeptic occupying the back of her head, "we both have a common enemy who we wish to rid off. Me because he intends to attack the people I love, and you because he has, um… insulted your presence. If we stand together against it, we can reduce the amount of bloodshed between us, and maybe stand a better chance of victory! This could possibly bring a benefit to us both!"

The monster stared for a couple of seconds, completely silent. And then… he laughed. It was taunting, scornful sound, full of hate and disdain for the person who dared to stand in front of him. Rearing his two boulder-sized fists backwards, he looked up at Elsa with a malicious glint twinkling in his eyes. "You truly are amusing, thinking that someone like me can do a thing against that simple child!" he remarked in between fits. "But... I cannot fight with you."

"Why not?" Elsa demanded, her standing on end, all of her instincts screaming at her to run.

"Gurahahahaha! Because you and Arendelle are no better!"

Elsa's heartbeat immediately doubled in pace, and she instinctively jumped down the wall with her hands held outwards, calling forth a massive snow pile below with a blinding flash of light. As the wind blew past her ears, the Snow Queen could just barely hear the Bergrisi howl mightily before she made impact, landing somewhat clumsily on her back but at least none worse for the wear. Spitting her braid out of her mouth, she jerked her head back to the wall, which was now subjected to an intense and vicious beatdown of massive fists. With every successive strike, the crack in the barricade expanded wider and wider, further compromising its structure.

Just as the Bergrisi landed yet another boulder-sized blow on her barricade, Elsa released a stream of ice that splashed against the wall, morphing into spiraling, sparkling tendrils to greet the giant's fist. The new construct stretched and meshed against the impact to cushion his momentum, before completely encasing the hand in an airtight tomb.

The Bergrisi glanced at newly-formed restraint placed on him, and then leered at the Snow Queen struggling to stand back on her feet. "Oh, so you think that freezing me away will solve all your problems, eh?" The space between his eyebrows creased as he strained in concentration, bringing into full relief a purple bulging, grotesque vein on his forehead. The frozen clump blew apart in seconds, flinging chunks of ice in all directions like bomb shells.

Dauntless, Elsa ducked and weaved through the falling debris to flick her wrist toward the ground - swarms of icicles sharp as spears sprouted at the blink of an eye, plunging directly into the Bergrisi's chest with a string of sickening thuds. The giant staggered back a couple of steps, coming dangerously close to topple onto the ground. Instead though, he dug his fingers into the unfortunate bark of a nearby tree to provide support and secure his footing. Flashing her a savage grin, he scraped embedded ice needles off his body as casually as one would dust themselves of dandruff.

"That... is just incredibly unfair." Elsa muttered. She fired a bolt at the forest floor once more, this time manifesting as a single, giant icicle thicker than trees at the base. It propelled itself forward with the speed of charging cavalry, almost guaranteed to run through the Bergrisi's tough hide and finally putting an end to the conflict. However, the giant's hand flashed in a grey blur in front of him, and half the entire spear sailed away in a graceful spin, splitting a tree down the middle meters away. "More, more! Gurahahahaha!" he screamed, the amethyst crystals on his back glowing brighter and hotter. "Don't tell me this is all you can give, simian! If you can't even hope to kill me, what possible chance do you have at Subjugation!?"

Elsa gasped, and dove in panic, scraping her arms and hands against the fallen twigs and forest refuse. A grey mass zoomed millimeters above her head less than a second later, upon which she turned on her back and counterattacked with another beam of ice. The projectile latched itself to the Bergrisi's elbow before creeping downwards to where his fist hit Earth, pinning him to the ground. It wasn't long before he wrenched himself free, but the time he took bought Elsa the opportunity to reposition herself and maintain fire. Flashes of bluish white light bounced off the clusters of ice, which was now beginning to outnumber the amount of trees left standing in the area.

The Bergrisi barked something unintelligible, and then slammed his palm to the ground - the floor beneath Elsa's feet seemed to melt and shift in ripples, kicking her high into the air with a whip-like flick. She waved her arms in a desperate attempt to stay upright, her dark eyebrows shooting upwards upon realizing that the giant was now charging gorilla-style, using his knuckles as fulcrums to propel himself forward. Without a moment to spare, she slammed her feet to the ground to freeze a single solid sheet of ice, one that crawled outwards in the direction of the creature. Not only did it manage to provide stable footing for the Snow Queen, but it also caused the Bergrisi to lose his, so he came crashing down in a high-speed, steamrolling heap that never connected with its target.

"Yes!" Elsa exclaimed, clenching a fist in exhilaration. The joy was quickly snuffed however, when the monster snorted, and pounded the rimed floor into smithereens with his hands and feet.

_What are you doing, Elsa?_ She asked herself.

_What?_

_You've been doing nothing but holding yourself back!__ You think these little magic shows will have an effect? __He isn't ever going down, unless…_

Elsa frowned. _Unless…?_

_...There is an easy way. A simple way. You know what I'm talking about, do you?_

Even as she raised her arms upwards to lock the Bergrisi in a cage of crystalline spires, the Snow Queen's heart skipped a beat or three in horror. _No! _she thought. _I am not going to freeze anyone! No more!_

_Oh come on, he's not even human!_

_No! I will not subject anyone through that fate, through the pain that my sister went through. It… it just isn't right!_

_What choice do you have!?_

"Yeah… what choice do you have?"

Elsa blinked rapidly back into focus, and slowly turned her head to the giant lolling his head against a snow spike. He eyed her lazily, and craned his neck to the side to crack miniscule nicks in the frost. "You seem conflicted, simian."

"What is running through my mind is none of your business, Mister Bergrisi." Frost gathered around the Snow Queen's body as she glowered at him. "I am only trying to find out the fastest way to be rid of your presence. If I have to k-... to kill you, then so be it."

"Gurahahahaha! You are nothing if not bold, human! Still, who'd have thought that Adam died, just to let some talentless kut like you run the village in his place?" The giant gnashed his teeth as his body visibly strained, applying pressure to his prison walls until it finally gave in, snapping into chunks that slid off from his body like breaking glaciers. "You know what, I might even decide to spare you!"

The Snow Queen blinked, her heart ramming against her ears with uncomfortable frequency. "What?"

The Bergrisi's face abruptly switched to the opposite spectrum, replacing excited bloodlust with an absolute, neutral mask - the effect was so jarring, it nearly escaped Elsa's grasp of of the situation. "You're so ineffectual, it's pathetic. I'm actually beginning to feel pity for just how hard you were trying…" He leered, a hint of contempt coloring the edge of his otherwise flat and husky voice. "I only have to destroy Arendelle after all. I could just stop playing, get back to destroying the wall? Wouldn't you like to keep your life, Elsa, when I should have just crushed you?"

Elsa's left eye twitched. "Spare me the talk, Mister Bergrisi. You've already proven your unwillingness for alternative solution."

The great beast shrugged. "I suppose you wouldn't change your mind, given that humans are social creatures and all... Naturally, you must have friends and family on the other side."

Shivers went all the way down Elsa's spine.

"How would they feel when I march up to their thresholds and blow down their doors? Terrified? Hateful? How would they feel once they realized that you, the 'Queen of Arendelle', their great leader, a sorceress with the forces of winter at her beck and call, the only human with the tools to defeat great beings such as I, failed her duties in protecting her own home?"

The Snow Queen clenched her jaw tightly, grinding her teeth against each other as she focused on drowning out the Bergrisi's taunts. _Just keep it together, Elsa. Ignore him…_

"Of course, that's assuming that your people will even give enough thought besides their own survival to find out, when I prowl in the mist to select them off. One. By. One." He grinned maliciously. "Oh, how their beating hearts will betray them as they hide, even as those little valiant organs strain to keep them alive. How the blood will drain from their faces until they resemble corpses, how their bodies will twist into fascinating shapes given enough pressure in the right spots... plucking their limbs ought to be worth a laugh as well. Oh, the symphony of their screams when I'll do just that!"

"Stop!"

"And finally, when all is said and done and I've had my fun, I will have the Earth swallow all of your broken companions whole, their cold, horrified faces being their last contribution to the world." The giant paused, and looked up to the grey skies in thought. "Well, at least their dead bodies will be of some use afterwards... perhaps I'll collect them as trophies."

"No!" Elsa snarled. "You will not touch them!" All semblance of control was now lost in the swirling storm raging against her insides, and her voice became a ringing trumpet that could have been heard all the way from the kingdom. Without hesitation, without rationale, Elsa snapped both her hands outwards, firing twin brilliant blasts of winter that almost seemed to hang midair in slow motion in her rage-filled vision. She watched as both became direct hits, one striking the Bergrisi in the chest, the other disappearing into his left eye. Both wounds burgeoned hauntingly beautiful ice petals that spread like wildfire, swirling and geometric patterns creeping all over his body to leave behind a silvery sheen on once-granite skin. The monster tried fighting back, but his movements became sluggish and spastic. He shuddered to a stop, and remained frozen in place.

...Silence.

The Snow Queen stared at the pristine giant statue in front of her. It was perfect and pristine: No one would have realized that it was once a walking, breathing being. The expression on his face could have been described as puzzled, his one unveiled eye still widened with bewilderment.

The awareness finally registered in Elsa's head, and she collapsed down to her knees, hugging herself as she shivered, nausea threatening to overtake her stomach. "Oh no…" she whispered, bile burning the back of her throat. "What have I done?"

_You did what you had to do, Elsa. _

_I killed him._

_You had every right to defend yourself in what was a life-threatening situation._

_I still killed him._

_He was going to destroy your home, your friends, your family. If you didn't stop him, all these three weeks would have been for naught-_

_krick-crack_

_crackle_

Elsa jerked her head at the rimed statue.

_kri-krick-crickle crackle snap_

Incredibly, the frosted sculpture was developing minute markings all over, growing wider and more pronounced by the second. Pieces of ice broke apart, revealing the grey granite skin within. At the shoulders, entire sections of frost have been crushed to fine powder, permitting a clear view of twitching sinews and stretched hide. The statue growled, and the ancient monster trapped inside began to thrash angrily against the curse cast upon him...

The Snow Queen gasped. She flourished both her hands upwards to conjure a barrier just before a full-on war cry rattled the entire forest, and the frozen giant blew apart with an earsplitting detonation - She crouched behind her makeshift shield as razor shrapnel zoomed with high-pitched whistles, either flying off to who knows where, or lodging themselves deep into trees and ice constructs alike. Miraculously, the shield managed to stay intact, even as sinister-looking splinters were stopped only millimeters away from Elsa's nose.

"Ah… So that's what you have been hiding…" the Bergrisi groaned. "Simple, but effective."

Elsa peeked from the side of her shield, and gasped in horror upon realizing the monster didn't appear even remotely weakened: He towered high and proud, the clustered bloom of crystals still attached to his eye like something septic. It didn't remain there for long, though; the Bergrisi raised a massive hand up to its level, and snapped the whole thing off with impunity - a sort of pale, translucent mist spewed enthusiastically where the formation broke, until hissing to a stop seconds afterwards.

The Bergrisi faced down at Elsa with a truly grotesque stare; one eye remained in its original state, still shaded and mostly inscrutable. The other-

Elsa's stomach lurched.

-The other eye, however, had an entire section of skin and possibly muscle tissue forcefully torn away, revealing a blazing, pristine amethyst sphere that rolled in a socket made of the same material, wrapped in ribbons of fibrous sinew. Some sort of opaque film slid repeatedly up and down the orb, allowing it to blink despite the apparent lack of... eyelids.

"Unfortunately for you..." The Bergrisi began, steam blowing out of his mouth and nostrils as he flexed his shoulders. "My marvelous hide was made for an older Earth, when great legendary beasts roamed, and everlasting frost was the norm! Compared to that, this is but a mere cold spell!"

Elsa could just barely think of an alternate plan of attack when the ice barrier in front her completely shattered, its thick pieces ramming her in the chest, knocking the wind out of her. She doubled over on in pain, choking as the ground beneath her hands and feet shuddered with increasing magnitude.

_Move Elsa… Come on, you need to move!_

"Unfortunately, I think it is time to end this little game of ours." the monster sighed. Thick, grimy fingers wrapped themselves around Elsa's body, lifting her several meters into the air with all the ease of holding a child's toy. Even as she struggled to wriggle herself free, the platinum-blonde was rendered powerless, forcing to see her own terrified face reflected in the Bergrisi's burning, amethyst eyeball. The expression he wore was inhuman, a complete chilling lack of compassion.

"Say hello to that irritating child for me..." The hand keeping Elsa aloft squeezed tighter, crushing her chest, stopping it from rising in taking in air. She choked and gagged, a series of pathetically weak sounds that fell on the ears of an amoral being, one that regarded her as with as much respect as one would regard a roadside plant. It wasn't long before Elsa's eyes started to roll back, and her vision began to develop blank spots that blinked in and out, appearing with increasing frequency and space until her whole world pounded a dull, muted red. Her body burned hot as she succumbed to oxygen deprivation, the inner walls of her skull hammered with the heavy, slowing beat of her own heart...

Sharp twigs raked at Elsa's back as she hit the forest floor, kicking her lungs back into shape as she lied struggling to breathe. Her chest felt like it was on fire, but she forced herself to suck air in-between strangled fits, paining her until her respiration finally returned to a normal state; this came with the unusual effect of a tingling, buzzing sensation occupying her entire head. Her vision, which was nearly lost to unconsciousness, was now enough for her to register something huge that occupied her sight, likely the Bergrisi's bulk. Either way, try as she might, her body simply refused to respond to any commands: At most, she could restrain some muscle spasms that were of no use to anyone. It was almost a relief, really, to not feel anything, to not worry about what happens next anymore...

The buzzing in her head felt so nice... It was almost like going to sleep...

"ELSAAAA!"

_...Huh?_

The Queen lifted a bleary eyelid open with a weak cough, tapping into what little energy that was restored from breathing to turn her head towards the outburst. She watched as a wall of long outlines screeched and groaned in protest, splitting apart as they gave way to a massive figure, its body wide-set and heavy. She watched the newcomer roar in fury, and then ram the Bergrisi out of view with a mighty grunt, dissipating the silhouette that had shadowed her to prepare for her execution. Following the two tumbling to the ground with eyes that gradually gained clarity and color, an understanding pierced through Elsa's numb and addled mind: Yet another giant has entered the fray.

In spite of dwarfing the Bergrisi by a head or three, the new arrival compensated with sheer ferocity, launching a flurry of punches and swipes that contorted the amethyst-covered beast into gruesome poses. He snarled in response, catching the intruder's fist with a hand before crushing it into mangled splinters. However, the smaller creature gave the injury as much thought as if it was merely sneezed at, and slashed at the giant with his remaining hand - Both the Bergrisi and his newly-earned gashes hissed angrily in response, upon which the newcomer kicked him away, positioned itself before the lying Snow Queen and the giant, and roared thunderously in defiance, extending icicle spines from its back and remaining arm.

"Marsh-... Marshmallow?"

The Snow Golem and the Mountain Giant breathed heavily as they glowered at each other, unmoving, unyielding.

"Hmph." The Bergrisi snorted, dusting himself clean of icicle chips; the wound Marshmallow left behind had ceased hissing, leaving a series of wicked gouges in its stead. "You didn't tell me you were capable of creating familiars, Elsa, and not entirely useless ones at that..." He looked up at the dull grey skies far beyond the forest canopy, and then all around at his surroundings. "This had and will cost me too much time. No more distractions." He sighed.  
>"It looks like you have earned yourself another day to live, another day to breathe."<p>

Elsa struggled to get up, focusing hard just to keep her arms from buckling. "St-... stop…" she protested: Mustering every last drop of energy she had in her reserves, she extended a wavering hand out in front of her, and released one more lance of ice before dropping back to the ground. She couldn't even tell if she merely shot at Marshmallow's back, or if it even hit anything for that matter. Marshmallow certainly didn't seem to move from his position, instead choosing to make sure Elsa was tucked out of the Bergrisi's vision.

A steady beat of staccato thumps shook the ground, a continuous pounding salvo on Elsa's barricade that no one tried to stop. As the Queen was forced to listen helplessly with closed eyes, the structure screeched in pain with every punch, splintered crackles, high-pitched whistling and snapping of tree bark penetrating the cold air until…

The end result was unlike anything else: An absolute cacophony followed suit, the sound of an entire grand cathedral, stories tall and painstakingly made of shining glass, that crashed down to the ground, its spires and foundations crumpling inwards as protracted and continuous as possible, a terrible clamor that only stopped when everything was reduced to shattered fragments and rubble.

"It's a good night for a bonfire, Elsa. Why don't you use your pet over there to position yourself up?" rumbled a voice over the last fracturing remnants, growing more faint and distant. "You shouldn't miss your town going up in flames..."

"No!" Elsa choked, but the Bergrisi didn't respond; he was already gone.

Elsa and Marshmallow were completely alone.

The platinum-blonde rested her forehead against the dirt. "I-... I failed." she whispered. She didn't even have the energy to break into a sob.

The ground gently shook a few times, and then something hard and cool to the touch tucked itself underneath Elsa's chin. It lifted her head up with the utmost care like it was handling a baby bird, until her blue eyes met the golem she had created those three weeks ago, the one made out of her fear of the outside world, the one who only a short time ago she blamed for rampaging in Arendelle. His eyes were merely empty pockets, and his mouth was too wide for typical human expressions. Even so, it looked almost… sad. Worried.

Something twinkled at the top of his head, a little piece of golden light that stood out against the grey and scattered blue, prompting the platinum-blonde to look up: Incredibly, Marshmallow was wearing a sort of expensive-looking adornment on his cranium, one that was comically two sizes too small to fit without pushing it deep into the snow. As Elsa blinked her eyes rapidly in amazement, the adornment was revealed to be a beautiful tiara, crafted in the national crocus insignia of Arendelle.

Elsa never imagined that she would see it again, the symbol of authority she blithely threw aside after fleeing from her home, from everyone. At the time, she believed she had achieved the freedom and happiness she sought for so long... she couldn't have been more wrong.

...And yet there the tiara was, sitting contently on the head of a behemoth Snow Giant.

"...Elsa…" he groaned, shifting his sole hand so Elsa could rest better against it.

He genuinely cared that she was alive and safe.

The platinum-blonde placed a pale hand on his finger, and leaned tiredly against it; her first real respite since daylight. "Marshmallow..." she whispered; yhe name came out rough and unfamiliar, but it gave her all the more reason to address it. "Marshmallow, thank you. I never could have imagined that you would do so much for me. Getting yourself hurt, saving my life..."

The Snow Giant's eye sockets stretched wide in bewilderment, and he craned his massive head as he investigated left and right. He was rather slow on the uptake, but it eventually occurred to him that Elsa couldn't have been referring to anyone else. "Marshmallow…" he mumbled, almost enraptured by the word passing through his mouth.

Something dark and heavy rested against the bottom of the Queen's heart, and she swallowed as tears came dangerously close to falling out. "...I'm sorry for putting the blame on you, when you had no part in this at all... I-I'm sorry for thinking you were a monster, that you were a-... a mistake. Can you forgive me?"

The creature didn't say anything. He probably didn't even know what she was talking about.

Elsa gasped as her cheek accidentally slipped off from the ice, and she collapsed back on the surface with a thud. The behemoth frantically looked around in alarm, but not before telling her "Stay! Rest!"

"I can't…" Elsa responded feebly. "That Bergrisi, he's going to attack everyone and destroy the kingdom! I must protect them!"

Marshmallow tilted his head, clearly confused by the Snow Queen's haste. "You're safe here."

"I can't stay…" Elsa panted, making yet another attempt to get back on her feet. "I'm not going to fail them. Not again, not ever. Please Marshmallow, help me up!"

Much to her chagrin, the Snow Giant instead descended to gingerly rest a massive hand on her body, pinning her to the floor. "You must rest-"

"Elsa!" echoed a call in the distance, accompanied by the sound of hooves. "Elsa!"

_Could it be?..._ The Queen of Arendelle jerked her head towards the sound, that familiar voice and those trotting footsteps. A faint flicker of hope reinvigorated her spirit just enough to ignore the burning sensation in her throat, and shout back to the forest beyond: "Kristoff! Sven! I'm over here!"

"Elsa!" The galloping footsteps doubled in pace: Out of the grey mist burst a rider and his reindeer, his red sash blazing in stark contrast to the world. The mountain man Kristoff held tightly onto Sven's antlers as they charged forward at top speed, bounding over fallen branches and stirring dried leaves in their wake.

Marshmallow gasped, and stomped the ground with a deafening roar. Positioning himself in front of the Snow Queen, the snow monster spread himself outwards in a wide stance, swarms of jagged icicle spines poking their way out of his back and limbs like the quills of a porcupine. Wickedly jagged crystal teeth protruded from his jaw, and his block-like fingers elongated into knives that could gut fish with a flick of the wrist. Overall, Marshmallow's increasingly monstrous appearance was enough to give the ice harvester pause.

"Whoa there!" Kristoff shouted, pulling on his friend's reigns to a stop. He slowly dismounted from Sven's back, and held both his empty hands up to the snarling Snow Giant, carefully stepping forward with all the enthusiasm of approaching an easily triggered bear. "I'm not going to hurt anyone, big guy-"

"My name is Marshmallow!" The giant roared, brandishing his claws in plain view of the two.

The blond man blinked. "Wow. So, uh… so that's your name after all." Kristoff shook his head. "Look Marshmallow, it's nice to see you again after so long. I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm just here to pick up Elsa." Coughing once, he added, "I'm not going to hurt you, so if you just let me walk by, we can both get out of each other's hairs-"

"Go away!" Marshmallow bellowed, swiping a hand at him. "You attacked! You attacked first!"

"You still haven't gotten over it!?" Kristoff exclaimed incredulously, ducking to avoid having his head taken off by those wickedly gleaming claws. Dropping into a roll, the ice harvester sidestepped just as the golem jumped to crush him underneath his massive feet. Now that he slipped past the giant, he dug his heels against the dirt, and used the jump start to make a mad dash for the weakened Snow Queen. "Come on, let me help you up!" he shouted, slinging her arm over his broad shoulders. "We gotta get you back to the kingdom, hurry!"

"...I tried to hold him back. I wasn't able to do my job. I couldn't protect anyone..." Elsa mumbled. She leaned against the large man on wobbly knees, poking her own body lightly to make sure her ribs were still intact.

"You did more than we could have imagined, Elsa. " Kristoff assured. "The Captain told us what we needed, and you're still alive! Don't give up just yet!" He whistled - Sven charged towards the two, steam puffing out of his large nostrils as he tilted his head to the side and downwards, permitting his antlers to reach out to Kristoff's hand.

The reindeer was only seconds away, however, when a thunderous shout shook the entire forest - Marshmallow grunted, and hammered his massive fist just centimeters away from Kristoff's nose. "LEAVE HER ALONE!" he screamed, smothering the mountain man in his frosty breath. He raised his other fist up high, winding for one last punch to end the nuisance permanently.

Just as the golem brought his fist down, too quickly for Sven to intervene, too fast for Kristoff think about where to dodge, Elsa broke herself free of the ice harvester's hold; the exertion was almost too much, but she managed to stand in front of her friend and shield him with her body and spread arms. She closed her eyes in preparation of the blow, but the heavy fist of ice and compacted snow immediately arrested mid-descent.

"Will all of you just stop!?" Elsa shouted, huffing and puffing in exhaustion.

"Step aside." Marshmallow uttered. "I don't want you to be hurt…"

"Then you have to listen to me, Marshmallow! Leave Kristoff and Sven alone!"

"But-"

The Snow Queen cut the giant snowman's objections short with a glare.

"...But-"

The Snow Queen took a single, deliberate step forward, flashing another cold stare that cowed Marshmallow into total submission. With an air of authority surrounding her as palpable as a torrential wind, she jabbed her index finger down like one would do with a particularly disobedient child, her face leveling off to a neutral expression.

Marshmallow froze, and hesitantly knelt in response. Despite his size and fearsome appearance, he flinched away as Elsa leaned very, very close...

...And then wrapped her arms around his body in a hug. She couldn't even reach halfway around the golem's thick waist, but she rested herself against the snow and squeezed as hard as she could. Everyone else; Kristoff, Sven, and Marshmallow himself, simply gawked.

"...Elsa?" asked the Snow Giant.

"I know why you are like this, Marshmallow." said the platinum-blonde. "You seem so rough and harsh... but that's only because you wanted to protect everyone. To keep me from hurting those I love, and to prevent others from ever reaching me." Elsa squeezed a little harder. "I just made it easier to perform the physical side of a such a task."

The snowman didn't say anything.

"When I made you… I was still just a scared little girl, one who thought she shouldn't deserve contact with anyone besides herself. You did what you ordered, and that… that was just fine for the both of us." She raised her head up to him. "Well, it's different now. I'm not that frightened girl anymore. Instead of running away from my issues, I'm going to face them head-on for my people's sake."

"But-"

"Marshmallow, I know that such a thing would be difficult and terrifying for me. These past three weeks have been proof enough, with so much stress and fear and needed-adapting... but there's no need to worry anymore. I have friends now." Elsa motioned a hand towards Kristoff and Sven, who both waved sheepishly up at the giant golem.

"...Friends?"

"You don't-... I guess I didn't really know much about friends myself when I made you, didn't I?" Elsa chuckled. "Well, they're just like you: People who are willing to help and support each other, without asking for anything in return. They laugh together, cry in each other's arms, brighten a person's day just by staying close. Because of that, I want to keep them safe, and they would happily do the same if only I gave them the chance." Elsa's memories flashed to her sister's cheery smile, her always-jubilant companions, her servants, the guards, even the townsfolk who she had traded kind words, shared hopes, smiles, and encouragements with. "There are so_ many_ people out there now…" she said quietly. "It isn't a world with just you and me anymore."

The flood of emotions that ran through her started to spark and manifest, taking form as wisps of illuminated wind that laced along her hands, flitting in and out of Marshmallow's body before gathering into a floating, shining ball where his missing arm should be. With all the radiance of an intense firework, the ball burst into a wild flurry of light and snow, sweeping the grey mist away with its pulse, and forcing everyone to shield their eyes.

Elsa stepped back from the snow behemoth to view at her handiwork; in the light's place was a fully-restored hand; fresh, functional, and powerful.

The snowman remained silent for a while, opening and closing his new hand experimentally. Suddenly, he extended both of them outwards, alarming the ice harvester and his reindeer to no end; the two backed away, more than half-expecting the Snow Golem to just ignore Elsa and continue his aggression.

Instead, Marshmallow gently wrapped his arms around Elsa's body in his own, full body embrace. "Thank you, Elsa. I'm sorry for being angry..."

"Marshmallow, You don't have to be sorry about anything. You just wanted to do your job, right?"

The golem nodded back.

"Well, then…" Elsa smiled warmly. "Why don't you start by becoming our friend?"

The snowman's eye sockets blinked in amazement. "Um…" He edged away from everyone else by his toes, twiddling his blocky fingers. Even without a capability for typical human expression, it didn't take a genius to realize Marshmallow was being, in fact, painfully shy. This spanned for several long, uncomfortable seconds; Neither Elsa nor Kristoff were unfamiliar with this scenario, but they couldn't think of what to do.

"...Let him be." Kristoff finally said, breaking the awkward silence. "Time is ticking, and we must return to Arendelle." The ice harvester flicked a glance at the Marshmallow, who didn't seem to make any sort of objections. An encouraging sign. "Come on, Elsa, Sven-... Sven?"

The reindeer brushed off his friend's words with a snort, instead carefully approaching the giant monster with his muzzle aimed slightly downwards. Marshmallow recoiled away from the animal, but Sven continued to creep closer, investigating the deep tracks the behemoth left behind with interest.

Perhaps it was a bout of curiosity that made Marshmallow willing to come closer to the reindeer, or maybe Sven simply had a knack for developing bonds and socializing - he was certainly better at it than the two humans present could ever hope to be. Either way, the big fuzzy guy was able to charm Marshmallow into finally petting him; the giant chuckled, tickled by the Sven's snuffling muzzle as the animal attempted to lick his hand.

Elsa beamed at the two, happy that Marshmallow was finally off to a good start. Even Kristoff, who still regarded the Snow Golem with a hint of apprehension, couldn't help but grin at the sight. Hesitantly walking up to the two, he patted the snowman on the arm. "So we're… we're good now?"

Marshmallow eagerly nodded.

Kristoff let out a long sigh of relief, and grinned even wider at the gang's newest companion. "By the way," he noted, pointing up at the golden piece sitting atop the behemoth's cranium, "that's a really nice crown. Elsa couldn't have given it to you, could she?"

"That's a tiara, Kristoff." The Queen corrected. "It's... a long story. Personally, I think he wears it better than I ever could."

The ice harvester appeared rather dubious, something that didn't go by unnoticed by Elsa... but he chose not to say anything regarding the subject. Instead, he mounted Sven by the reigns, and held his hand out for her. She took it.

"Okay people, we must hurry before Arendelle turns into a warzone." Flicking his brown eyes at the new arrival, Kristoff asked, "You coming along, big guy?"

"...I follow."

"That's wonderful." Elsa complimented, making herself comfortable at the back of Sven. "I can hardly think of anyone else who could protect us better!"

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><p><strong>When I wrote this fanfiction, I noticed there was a severe dearth of high-octane action in Frozen stories. <strong>

**I intended to address that little issue somewhat.**

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><p><strong>Questions? Thoughts? Theories? You can either share them with me, or post them as a review below. I'll most certainly address them in a way that won't spoil.<strong>

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen_. Happy Frozen Fandom Month and Snow Sisters Week.**

**...Yeah I know Anna's not around. She'll get her turn.**


	22. Ch 22: I Will Be Right Here

**Keep the author's notes short and sweet. D'accord.**

**In other news, I'm dropping the chapter previews. However, like I've mentioned before to several of my reviewers, it is not necessarily out of demand, but because I can't make any out of the next chapters without _something really major happening_. So, just sit tight and wait every couple of weeks. I'll keep those updates coming.  
><strong>

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><p><span>Chapter 22<span>

I Will Be Right Here

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><p>The chill air was deathly quiet as it floated through Arendelle's streets, interrupted only by the gentle sounds of tapping feet. The source of the noise paced back and forth incessantly, her typically cheerful expression now tainted with fear and worry. As she walked, she constantly flitted her bright blue eyes to the empty roads sprawling on one side, and then to the oppressively massive stone walls shadowing her on the other. Soldiers guarding the great iron doors stood in line with rigid postures, their hands firmly gripping their spears and flintlock rifles.<p>

Anna shivered, rubbing her hands together in an attempt to warm them even as she stole yet another furtive glance at the faded streets. "…Don't worry Anna, everything will be just fine. Elsa said so…" the Princess muttered to herself. "She even promised… right?"

Of course, silence was the only one who responded back.

Anna bit the bottom of her lip; to say that not seeing a single soul in the faint haze frustrated the redhead would be a gross understatement, but she had no choice but to introspect in the silence...

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><p>"<em>Princess Anna! Your Highness!" The sound of rushed, trotting feet slamming against the pavement grew louder as the Captain of the Guard faded into view upon his steed, both their breaths puffing out in rapid tempo like steam-powered engines. Anna pivoted on her heels to greet them, her bright blue eyes filled with hope.<em>

"_Captain Arvid! What's going on-" Anna stopped mid-sentence, and she squinted her at him. Or perhaps more specifically, the space behind him. "Wait, shouldn't Elsa be riding with you?"_

"_Your sister… she stayed back!" he gasped, wiping away sweat with his gloved hand. "I couldn't believe my eyes! She told me to warn everyone immediately! And-" he swallowed, "the last thing I saw before rode I off was this great big… _thing_ in the distance. I've never seen anything like it in my life-… wait, where are you going!?"_

"_I'm going to go find Elsa!" Anna shouted behind her, already pedaling her legs down the paved road. She didn't make it far; two massive arms strapped themselves around her chest, immediately stopping her short._

"_Get your hands off of me!" Anna protested, squirming with all of her might. She looked up, seeing her boyfriend's steady face staring back down at her. "Kristoff, you have to let me go!"_

_He shook his head, reaffirming his grip when Anna was just about to escape. "I'm not going to let you run off when you didn't even bother grabbing a horse." _

_Anna flailed her head from one side to the other. "Then go fetch mine!" _

"_A second used up is a second lost." Kristoff jabbed a thumb back at the gates behind him. "While I have Sven all prepped and ready any time, he can only carry two people on his back at most. The sled will only slow him down, and who knows what could happen by then?"_

_Anna looked off to the streets where she last saw her sister vanish in complete silence. She let the ice harvester's words sink in: He was right, they couldn't waste even a second in case the Queen of Arendelle was endangered. The truth hurt, but the redhead forced herself accept it, to closed her eyes and stop breaking herself free. "I-I'll… I'll stay."_

_Kristoff blinked. "What?"_

"_I'll stay here, Kristoff. It wouldn't do if all of the Royal Family ran out into the unknown, and…" she hesitated, "you're a better rider than me. But make it quick!"_

_The mountain man nodded, and kissed her on the brow before dashing back to the gates. Within a minute, he was already bolting out of town on bareback._

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><p>Anna's thoughts were rudely interrupted by a sudden shaking of the ground, rattling every window pane in Arendelle and causing posts to sway back and forth. It wasn't violent enough for Anna to trip over anything, but the effect was more than palpable; from behind the Palace Gates emerged a way of hushed gasps and whispers, where most of the population had been escorted in the prevailing danger.<p>

"...What on Earth could that be?" One of the stationed soldiers asked to another. "Is it some kind of earthquake?"

"Hmph, unlikely." The uniformed man raised his head up to a watchtower, where one of the men was positioned as a lookout. "What'd you reckon, Wilheim?"

"Not too sure!" shouted yet another voice back from above. This fog isn't supposed to be thick, but I can barely see anything outside of town from here!"

Anna's eyebrows shot upwards. Breaking out of her contemplative stride, she bolted for the foot of the tower, raising her volume to where the voice originated. "Excuse me, Mister! Do you mind if you lend me a scope?"

"Uh… I don't see why not-" The soldier above paused. "Wait, aren't you the Princess?"

"Of course I am!" Anna chirped. Ignoring the strange looks she was getting from the other two armed men, she added, "As Princess of Arendelle, you should follow my orders! No questions!"

Silence followed shortly to stay, briefly convincing Anna that she might as well just drop the matter and continue her miserable waiting. Suddenly though, her ears picked up a little rustling sound at the very top, slowly growing closer and closer until a decorated head poked itself out one of the tower's lower windows. The uniformed man scanned his surroundings until his eyes fell upon Anna, and proceeded to pull out something long and thin, shaking it a little to catch her attention. With an acknowledging dip of his head he released the telescope, letting it descend down the wall and onto her outstretched hands.

The redhead fumbled a little as the telescope tumbled and bounced on her palms, but she was finally able to secure a firm grip before giving it a good look: It was a simple little thing, made of only two pieces of brass tubing and refracting lenses. Normally such a thing wouldn't be an issue for overlooking Arendelle from a good vantage point, but even a day as lightly misted as this would have screwed things up. Still, it would have to do.

The man sticking halfway out the window sighed in relief. "Ah, thought you were going to break it down there, Your Highness. Now, what exactly are you going to do-..." His jaw almost dropped all the way down to the ground as the little redhead immediately bolted down the streets with telescope on hand, a mischievous smile etched on her face while the other two soldiers failed to catch up to her. "H-Hey wait! You shouldn't be going out there!" he cried.

"I'm sorry, but I just have to find out what's going on!" Anna apologized. For the most part though, the Princess drowned out the man's shouts with the wind howling into her ears. As her twin plaits bobbled back and forth, she browsed for convenient shortcuts across town, spotting a high pile of boxes resting against the side of a building with a white tarp draped over them. Feeling an idea click in place, Anna doubled in pace, gaining speed until she kicked off with one foot to soar gracefully in the air, at least until her toes touched the edge of a crate. Without missing a beat, she kicked off with the other, using her years of experience exploring the ins and out of her Palace home to scale the stacks with alternating feet until she was running on rooftops, watching as the entire town unfold before her eyes. It was a marvelous sight, especially since the mist gave it a sort of ethereal appeal, but the redhead didn't allow herself to stop and admire the view - she jumped off the edge of one rooftop to the next, making a beeline for the western outskirts of town.

The Princess finally halted once her blue eyes caught the Arendelle wilderness spanning out into the faded horizon, using her arms to hug herself against a chimney before she could fall out of the roof. Bending down a little to catch her breath, she fidgeted with the telescope to extend it fully outwards; she peeked through the eyepiece and frowned, seeing nothing but a wildly gray and fuzzy mess.

"Ah, whoops. Gotta adjust it a little…" With a twist on the pipe, the steep cliffsides of the Arendelle's fjord was thrown into sharp relief, and then Anna could see the jagged outcroppings that would make up the mountain range, every individual, fluttering leaf on the forest canopies, the patch of trees in the distance shaking wildly from side to side like flowers in a hurricane, the...

_Wait, what? _Anna frowned as she scrutinized further: trees, especially the full-grown ones that populated the woods outside the kingdom, never jostled around as if they were simple bushes. There just wasn't a strong-enough wind in existence to shake them around so easily, never mind the logical conclusion that the rest of the forest should have been in on the act.

And then... the trees just stopped. No more shaking.

Instead, another small section of forest began to rustle, and then the one after that.

The source of the disturbances… it was getting closer.

"Could it possibly be … nah. That would be just silly." The redhead pocketed the telescope, and carefully lowered herself down the slanted rooftop. Upon feeling her feet dangle over the empty air, she let herself slide down more quickly until she was just free-falling for a little more than a second. Dropping into a roll to break her momentum, the redhead hid around the corner of a nearby shop, and waited.

Heavily-muted thumps vibrated the ground at regular beats, enough for Anna to feel it to her toes. This only confused the redhead: For her, only an absurdly heavy… _thing _could possibly be responsible for such a peculiar disturbance, especially if the source wasn't even in sight yet. In all honesty, the Princess _did_ have a suspicion or two in light of these recent events, but she'd mostly written these thoughts off as mere products of an active imagination.

It was only when that tall figure emerged from the woods and out into the open, brushing the gray mist away from its wizened face in irritation as if it was a cloying smoke, did Anna seriously reconsider her viewpoint on reality: Initially, the redhead took it for some giant beast she'd read about in her books, or some elaborate statue; there just couldn't be any other reasonable explanation for its appearance, what with its beard made of crooked stones, spines made of what appeared to be pristine amethyst crystals, and a body shape that looked like a horribly misshapen doll crafted by a blind man with a less-than-sturdy concept of human anatomy. The closest thing she could compare the creature to was a hairless gorilla, but nothing alive could ever have such a ghastly and hateful expression, such malice in every crevice and scar on his face.

_This must have been the creature the Guard Captain had been warning us about…_ Anna thought to herself. _But… didn't he mention that Elsa stayed behind to confront it? Why would it be here instead then?-..._ _Oh no._

The redhead shook her head furiously before her train of thought could continue running. _No, it clearly must have slipped by her unnoticed. No one could have beaten my sister, she wouldn't allow it for anyone! Especially not this big, stupid, sneaky, giant piece of-_

The Princess cut herself off for the second time in a row, and bit at her lips as she directed her sight back around the corner. _Be cool about this, Anna. Keep calm, stay relaxed. You got to play it smarter, not harder._

The monster raised its bald head up, its wide nostrils flaring as it inhaled. It snorted almost immediately afterwards, grimacing as if it had tasted something very, very pungent. "This place utterly reeks of humans…" he complained, "Even stranger, I can smell disgusting, rotting fish. Why haven't I woken earlier from the sheer stench flowing downwind of this putrid town, I will never know."

Anna gingerly sniffed her hand and reeled back, forcing herself to blink the tears out of her eyes. _Oof__! Perhaps the monster had been unintentionally referring to me…_ Still, she forced herself to stay put, observing as the monster slowly walked up to one of the houses on the roadside. It raised its powerful-looking arm ponderously, and then - Anna was suddenly very thankful she didn't try to sneak closer to the thing - utterly bisected the building with a single chop, cutting out a thick and horizontal slice down the middle.

The monster reveled in this destruction, barely containing the laughter that was bubbling within as it plunged its hands into the newly-made crevice and tore it open it with all the ease and glee of a hyperactive child parting a dollhouse. "Heha! Hahaha! Gurahahahaha!... hm." The giant peered inside the rubble, its face suddenly pensive.

"You're not going to find anything there, uh… sir."

The beast froze mid-search. Slowly, it turned its head around until it faced the redhead whose hands were on her hips, its gaze zooming in on her with immediate interest. Anna's heart skipped a beat in response; the skin surrounding one of its eyes had disappeared, revealing a section of grotesque skull structure made entirely out of amethyst quartz.

"Ah, another one." The giant rumbled. "And an even worse-smelling one at that."

That casual statement by itself shouldn't have made Anna's skin crawl. It shouldn't have made her back suddenly erupt in pins and needles that made her sweat and itch uncontrollably. It shouldn't have made her scratch at her ears for pebbles, even as her instincts all but screamed at her to do just that. In light of all this though, the redhead gritted her teeth and pushed through. "Who are you, and what are you here for?"

The massive beast... blinked. This little reflex alone sent chills down Anna's spine; a milky-white film slid over his exposed eye twice in rapid succession, like something she'd seen lizards and certain kinds of fish do. "What is a little mouse like you standing here, in front of a mighty Bergrisi such as myself?" he asked, amusement touching the edge of his rumbling, grating voice.

"I'm here to talk to you about that, Mister!" Anna shouted, pointing a finger at the demolished destroyed building. "That used to be somebody's home! As Princess of Arendelle, I'm not going to just give you some slack over it!"

The Bergrisi's brows shot upwards at the redhead's introduction, looking nothing short of stunned. Then, he threw his head back in laughter. "It's just one royalty after the other with this town, just like that Elsa!"

The mere mention of the name was what made Anna's blood run ice-cold. If this Bergrisi fellow really met Elsa... Upon closer inspection, the monster's body was littered in bright crystals that didn't glow his native purple, but flashed a brilliant whitish blue.

In fact, she'd played with those ice shards just this morning.

"What… what did you do with her?" Anna asked, her voice lowering to barely audible levels.

"Gurahahaha! She must be family with you of course!"

"What did you do with her?" Anna repeated, growing hoarse.

"And what good will the information do for you? How does it changed whether or not I killed her-"

Something hit the monster smack dab in the face, bouncing away unceremoniously as brass made contact with pavement. The giant stared blankly at the telescope, and then shifted his gaze back at the redheaded Princess.

"Don't you… don't you dare say that…" Anna muttered, pointing at him with an accusatory finger.

The giant grinned maliciously, revealing the moss that was greening his tombstone teeth. "Oh… so that's how it is… Yeah, you can tell that I fought your dear little sister, didn't you?"

"She's my older sister! And shut up!"

"Obviously as a winter sorceress, she put up quite the fight. I have to thank her for providing quite the good warm-up after a good few centuries of dormancy!" The satisfied smile on his mouth widened even further, making Anna shiver - the edges of the Bergrisi's lips reached all the way around to his ears. "Of course, that all ended when I finally got my hands on her… you should have seen the absolute fear on Elsa's face when I gave her the tiniest squeeze, when I plucked that braid off from her head. The best part was when I got to hear how melodious her scream was when I pinched her hand like a berry! Ha! Popped like one, too!"

"You-... You liar!" Anna screamed. "She couldn't be beaten by some monster like you!"

The giant casually shrugged in light of the redhead's accusation. "I was never outstanding at deception. To be fair, I _distinctly_ remember leaving her on the ground while she was still gasping for breath…" his mouth spread into a widened smile, a malicious glint in his eye. "Still doesn't change the fact that her face was so blue by then, though!"

Elsa... The Queen of Arendelle, the Lady of Ice and Snow... lost. Anna dropped down to her knees; the news utterly devastated the Princess, especially because her mind now attempted to picture her sister lying in the middle of the wilderness, afflicted with the most unspeakable injuries Anna's imagination could call forth.

Even worse for the younger sister, however, was the likely severe blow to Elsa's psyche: Though the Snow Queen was without question the most powerful person in Arendelle (in many senses of that word), she was the kind of person who would carry her faults too far, who would let her failings consume her. If what the giant said was true, and Elsa was left with the knowledge that what she'd done was for naught...

The giant tilted his head curiously at the silent lady, like a bird who was considering whether or not it was going to pluck at its disabled prey already. Circling around her despondent, kneeling body with a leer, he raised his arm up menacingly to hammer her down.

No reaction.

"Huh..." he muttered, lowering his hand. Next, he poked the despondent woman with a massive finger.

Anna's body was pushed backwards, but ultimately she still didn't respond.

"That was even easier than I thought, pitifully so... You humans really disappoint when it comes to bravado over performance." the Bergrisi sighed. "Guess I just have to straight to pulping you- hm?" He tried pulling his hand away, but it was met with unusual resistance that pulled back in retaliation. Craning his neck to investigate, his mismatched eyes fell upon a pair of lithe arms hugging desperately to his finger, their nails attempting to dig into the rock-hard flesh.

"Stop…" Anna whispered, pulling herself back to stop the giant from moving.

Ribbon muscles wrapped around the Bergrisi's exposed eye twitched sourly. "Get your filthy hands off of me, you rotting simian!" he snapped, flicking Anna away. Because of his phenomenal strength, the gesture alone sent the girl off her feet and spiraling into a wall with a solid smack. "Little mouse, why even bother fighting back? You knew that Elsa was your best hope, and she lost! Even I can tell that your heart has nothing in it anymore!"

"Still… I still can't let you run free…" Anna muttered, struggling to stand back up on weak knees. She sniffed a little, and wiped at her eyes and nose with the sleeve of her dress. "E-Elsa wouldn't be very happy if I just broke down into tears did nothing, would she?"

The giant's massive silhouette formed an ecstatic smile, and it l loomed over her like the impending fate of death itself as a single crystal eye stared down at her with blazing intensity. He leered, his aged expression turning manic with glee. "Gurahahahaha!" the Bergrisi laughed, his fingers twitching with anticipation. "Too many simians love to believe that they have it in themselves, but you may be one of the few I've ever seen in all my years who remain standing, even in full despair! More, give me more of what you pathetic humans call 'boundless resolve!'"

Anna ducked her head into a run as the giant's arm shot forward with the force of a cannon, ramming itself into the pavement. She didn't dare stop as the giant proceeded to slide it across the road, jumping in the air before she could be swept along. The giant snarled, and made a grab for the Princess with his other hand - she vanished out of sight as his fingers closed around her, clasping onto empty air instead.

"Fire!"

A long string of crackling thunder tore the world apart, immediately followed by an irritated bark of surprise by the giant. Out of the floating mist emerged the silhouettes of kneeling soldiers lined side-by-side in double ranks, their musket rifles and gleaming bayonets all converged on a single target. The uniformed men shouted to each other as they began reloading, while another line of soldiers standing behind let loose another chain of earsplitting fire.

The Bergrisi roared in anger, covering himself with his hands as bullets zoomed hit him by the dozens. The lead balls sent little clouds of dust in the air as they made contact, jostling the giant's body as they either bounced off or lodged themselves into his tough skin.

Anna, who in the chaos managed to tuck herself into a narrow space between two houses, covered her ears as she hid from the rapid-fire bullets chewing away at the surrounding walls. Like a cold knife to the stomach, the revelation of Elsa's current situation caused her eyes to sting, her chest to tighten in grief.

_But… _whispered a calm, soothing voice in the Princess' head, _Elsa wouldn't want me to worry so much about her though, would she? And I have Kristoff to help... he wouldn't stop, and he wouldn't want me to stop either. If I just remained here and mope, all this work and effort would have been worth nothing._

It was all up to her now.._. _The Princess inhaled a long breath through her nose to steel herself. "Act now, worry later." she muttered under her breath, peeking back out the alley.

"Fire! Fire! Keep them coming!"

"Don't let it fight back!"

"Buy some time for the Princess to escape!"

More of Arendelle's military continued shooting at the monster, going into a sort of clockwork routine with every round; men at the front would fire around the same intervals before passing their rifles behind them, while dozens of others at the back focused on reloading, re-applying the gunpowder and musket shots. When the guns were ready to fire once more, they were sent back to the front to provide the steady barrage of bullets.

Meanwhile, the Bergrisi was now on one knee, weathering the bullets as if they were intense blasts of hail with a scarred hand covering his face. This was taken as an encouraging sign by the soldiers, who redoubled their efforts by firing even faster, reducing the time in-between the usual reloads in an attempt to wear him down.

However, they weren't able to see what Anna saw, something that forewarned her that something was about to go terribly, terribly wrong. She tried to yell, but the message was lost in the din of battle.

Concealed behind his hand, the Bergrisi grinned like a madman.

"Ready-"

"Not yet!" One of the soldiers shouted back; like most of his comrades, he was still halfway through supplying another loaded rifle, delaying the bombardment.

The Bergrisi's amethyst eye sparked; _that_ was the cue he'd been waiting for. The knee resting on the street pavement twitched, and the giant _launched_ himself forward by the platform of his foot with explosive force, leaving behind a massive crater. Within a couple of seconds he easily surpassed the speed of a horse, charging towards the battalion of soldiers in a sprint too quick for the armed men to prepare themselves for; he laughed uproariously, full of scorn and vindication as he collided with those unfortunate enough to be positioned directly in front of him, sending them flying into the distance like thrown puppets with their strings cut, and scattered the rest with a wild swipe of his swollen forearms. Only then did he stop to admire the carnage; the effective, organized formation was completely eradicated, and the now-disjointed shots from soldiers hiding out of sight were nowhere near enough to faze him.

In the midst of marveling his own handiwork, the Bergrisi snapped his head to two particular soldiers lying among the sea of unconscious bodies; they were merely clipped by his attacks, moaning in pain from broken bones. The two huddled together and stared wide-eyed at the monster, who then proceeded to kick them into a shop window, knocking their daylights out as the glass cracked behind their backs. Snorting in satisfaction, he walked menacingly up to them, his fingers positively itching for the kill. One soldier somewhere blasted a well-aimed shot that hit the Bergrisi in the cranium, but the beast paid as much attention to it as one would to a flying grain of sand.

Anna had to do _something_... Spotting a chunk of twisted wood nearby, rubble from the Bergrisi's horrendous rampage, she bounced it on her palm to test its weight, and then proceeded to chuck it across the street - it smashed right into one of the few window panes left untouched. The Princess cringed, but it gave her the desired effects; the Bergrisi jerked his head instinctively to the sound of breaking glass, relaxing his hands in the process.

"Fire!"

The little moment Anna bought was enough for a small group of enterprising men to follow with the crack of several guns firing simultaneously, a combined blow that sent the giant staggering to the side and away from the injured as if it was a giant's punch. Anna immediately seized this chance to dash out of her hiding place, skidding to a stop before the unconscious men. Tucking her arms underneath both their bodies, the redhead dragged them on the other side of the street, taking great care to mind the giant as he held both his hands outwards to block future gunshots.

_Unbelievable, bullets don't work on this guy at all._ Anna looked out towards nooks and crannies of the town where soldiers undoubtedly hid themselves, taking as many desperate potshots at the giant as they could before running out of ammo. Then she glanced at the two men she was carrying to safety - some ugly and dark bruises were beginning to develop on the sides of their faces. One man's arm flopped in the wrong direction arms are normally supposed to flop. _Sooner or later, that giant is going to either wise up and ignore the shots, or the soldiers will run out of things to distract him with. Without anything stronger, we-... _Anna swallowed. _...We might have a slaughter on our hands._

"Princess… Princess Anna?" one of the men slurred.

"Shh... it's alright now, Mister." Anna assured, flicking another glance at the Bergrisi's enlarged forearms and hands. She was smiling now for some reason, and her spirits soared even as the situation grew more dire. "Actually, it's going to be better than alright. Can you guys walk?"

"Our weapons… they're totally useless on it. We can't do anything..." he rambled tiredly. Still, he managed to stand on both his legs with some effort.

"Great!" Anna exclaimed, clasping one of his hands in her own; his other just hung from his shoulder listlessly, like it was made of something along the line of gelatin. "Now listen soldier, there are too many people all over the place. Get all of them to retreat."

The soldier frowned. "But… how are we supposed to protect our homes, then?"

Anna pointed at herself. "I'll keep him distracted while you guys fall back. With a little bit of luck, I can buy enough time for some backup to finally arrive."

"But… you're the Princess! If anything happens to you, then-"

"He's not going to kill me!" Anna interjected. "...At least, not immediately. I have a feeling he's the type to, uh... _play_ with his food."

"That just makes it even worse!" the man half-shouted, his face flushing red in anger. He winced as he accidentally triggered the muscles in his damaged arm, but pushed on through grounded teeth. "If anything happens to you or this town, we'll be held accountable for neglecting our duty-"

"Just look at around, soldier!" Anna cried in exasperation. She grabbed the man by the chin a little aggressively, and then pointed him directly at the unconscious mess that was his partner. "If this keeps going on for longer, your companions will end up unluckier than this guy! All of you have families, right?"

The man shakily nodded.

Anna closed her eyes; she knew she was hitting the subject right on the nose, but there just wasn't any other solution. "...Then let me buy you some time to retreat. Get better support. None of you guys will be of use to anyone at this rate."

The soldier gave her a hard stare that lasted for several seconds, with sweat rolling down the side of his face. Anna could clearly tell that he was deeply conflicted between varying senses of duty that should have worked in tandem on paper, but instead threw his mental gears out of place and forced him to choose between equally unpleasant options.

Finally though, he saluted her with a click of his heels. Slinging his partner over the shoulder, he gave her a thankful nod, and slipped away into the darkness of an alley, taking a route around the outskirts of town. His whistling calls for retreat carried themselves over the mist, followed by the sound of faint footsteps that were not of his own.

Anna looked on with a satisfied smile, proud for what she's done. Slowly though, her cheer faded from her face as horror dawned upon her, prompting her to vigorously shake her head in denial. "Oh jeez..." the Princess muttered, "I think I've been hanging around Kristoff and Elsa for too long."

Nevermind. Anna puffed up her chest, stepped back out in the open street with a straight posture, and cupped her mouth as she shouted at the top of her voice, "Hey! Over here, you big lug!"

The giant glanced at the redhead for the briefest of split-seconds, and then promptly ignored her in favor of flipping a storm drain over, uprooting the surrounding sidewalk in the process.

"It's no use, Mister, I've already called them off! Besides, I thought you wanted to play a game with me!" Anna began bouncing on the balls of her feet, pumping herself up with measured breaths while testing the weight of her steps. "You wanted a good fight, yeah? Then why don't you focus right here?"

The Bergrisi paused in his digging. "...Do you know that these little pellets they've been firing have been nothing but the most irritating and unpleasant things I've ever experienced in my life?" Turning around to face the redhead, he shook his body, letting hundreds of mottled, squashed pieces of lead fall from his skin like some demented form of perspiration. "The worst part is, these humans actually expect their little toy pipes to take me down. The apes think they can hunt the hunter!"

"Um… I'm not sure if you read a lot, but that was kinda the point in a lot of stories-"

"Quiet, little mouse!" The Bergrisi snapped, smashing a chunk off a nearby building with his backhand. "All of you have put me in a sour mood by leaving all of these empty homes around. Where's the panic? Where's the blood? Even if I were to kill you, tear you apart slowly until your wails become screams of mercy, it will only be just one person." He stood up on his legs, looming over Anna like the inevitability of death itself, his teeth bared in disdain. "I want them all."

Unfazed by the monster's towering height, Anna stared back up at him while crossing her arms. "Just get this started already. I'm sure you'll still have your fun."

"'Fun'?" the monster asked incredulously. "You aren't an enchantress. You aren't even a soldier. If the very forces of Winter and Metal aren't enough to stop me, what could a broken little girl like you have a chance at saving Arendelle?"

Anna assumed a stance, flicking her fingers at the beast in a "come forth" gesture. "Why don't you try to find out-"

The Bergrisi's massive hand blurred, and where the Princess stood was an indent in the road the size and depth of a bomb charge.

Someone nearby cleared her throat to grab his attention. "It's not very polite to interrupt people, Mister Bergrisi." Anna sweetly chided.

The giant frowned, and he flicked his head left, right, and all around in search of the redhead. Unfortunately for him, the mixture of the mist and smoke caused by burning gunpowder obscured the entire town so thickly, not even Arendelle's natural sea breezes could dissipate it fast enough. "Strange." he rumbled. "I thought you're temperament was much easier to deal with just a minute ago."

"Correct!" Anna's voice chirped. "Of course, that was only because I was such an idiot for believing you at the time."

The Bergrisi grunted. "I can't argue with you on that account, little mouse."

A silhouette faded into the monster's view, upon which he immediately kicked with a feral grin, expecting a bleeding pile of shattered bones to fly away. Instead though, it burst into splintered pieces of wood, merely remains of an empty barrel. "Show yourself!" the monster howled.

"Hey, give me some credit here! At least I'm not trying to get myself killed!"

"You are slowly but surely getting on my nerves, little mouse…" the Bergrisi growled. With a single swipe of his hand, he managed to blow away much of the smog surrounding him, easily improving definition and clarity of his surroundings. "In fact, I may choose to ignore you and just go straight to stomping this loathsome village to the ground."

"Waitwaitwait! Let me finish!" Anna exclaimed in a panicky tone now, since the Bergrisi was now literally fanning away her cover. "Look, we both know that no one here can really kill you. In fact, those deep-looking scars and icicles all over your body tells me that Elsa is the only one who could possibly take you in a fight."

The Bergrisi didn't bother seeking the Princess out, but neither did he move from his spot. "You're waiting for her to come and try again." he growled.

"Well, yeah."

The Bergrisi snorted derisively, wiping the last of the smog away with one final fan of his sinewy arms. "What makes you believe that she can prevail the second time around?"

As the mist finally cleared away from the street, a little silhouette faded into view behind the Bergrisi's legs, smiling cheerily as she strained to maintain a woodsman axe high above her head. "Because I'm going to fight as well!"

Grunting in effort, the Princess heaved the tool in a great overhead swing, feeling the wooden handle buck in her fingers as the steel axe head sank deep into the giant's calf. She was slightly puzzled when the wound immediately hissed, spewing an opaque gas outwards instead of the expected blood, but at least it was an actual reaction. Encouraged, Anna tugged hard on the handle to break the axe free and swing again.

It didn't budge.

The redhead frowned, and then pulled on the axe once more.

Still no movement.

Anna stared blankly at the tool lodged into the back a giant monster's leg for a short while, and then up at said monster. Neither of them moved as they locked eyes in complete silence, the seconds ticking by stretching into what felt like millennia. Eventually though, Anna took the initiative to bolt, ducking her head to avoid the Bergrisi's massive feet.

"Uncool, uncool! That was totally uncool!" Anna scolded to herself. She darted her bright blue eyes from right to left, taking inventory of her surroundings. "Um... so this part of town is full of resident homes and small businesses, mostly shops. Don't really know how useful that is to me yet, but I'm working on it."

From behind, Anna could hear sniffing noises too loud to have been cause by any familiar animal, followed by heavy footsteps that rapidly increased in pace and earth-shaking magnitude. "You reek of simian and rotting fish, little mouse! No matter where you hide, I'll always find you!"

Anna's spine tingled apprehensively, and she dove into a nearby alley moments before the Bergrisi could catch her. As a result, she had to brace herself against the air pressure threatening to tear her back out, which was when she caught a faint glimmer in her peripheral vision; military equipment lied all over the ground, including supply packages, trinkets, spent pistols and bayonet rifles, all discarded by owners who needed additional maneuverability. She scratched her chin in consideration, slinging a bag over her shoulder and picking up a flintlock rifle; they probably weren't any more useful to her than they were to the soldiers fighting the giant, but it was better than having nothing on hand.

Equipped with her new acquisitions, Anna poked her head out of the narrow space to make sure the path was clear. Sweat spontaneously broke out on her back - The Bergrisi's crystal eye locked onto her, glimmering like a malevolent star. With nothing else to do but run, she a mad dash for a building on the other side of the street, swinging the door open in haste just as the beast began to move.

With her heart pounding against the walls of her chest, the redhead slammed her back against the door only to be ambushed by a cloying fragrance, slightly burning the inside of her nose. She reacted by gagging a little and rubbing it with her sleeve, permitting her eyes to adjust to the dimmed lighting - she was currently in a liquor store, one that was just recently abandoned by its owner; a little lantern sitting on the counter still burned weakly. Wine bottles laid in broken scraps on the wooden floor with all their dark, sweet-smelling, alcoholic contents pooling everywhere, no doubt damages done by the chaos raging outside.

The redheaded Princess blinked at the mess, and then lifted her skirt to see how much of it got stained by the wine. "Huh..." she remarked, examining a nearby bottle. "Maybe they have one of those giant blocks of chocolates people serve booze with lying around here- no, bad! Bad Anna!"

"Where are you!" The monster bellowed from outside, his voice so loud it rattled even more glass bottles out of their shelves. With the amethyst crystals on his back glowing with excitement, he bent down and plunged his hand through the liquor store's glass display, scattering glass shards everywhere while he fished for Anna's body, very much akin to one trying to reach for a doll hidden beneath a drawer. He knocked over shelves of expensive booze, crushed furniture, and brushed aside rubble and debris, but he felt nothing that could match her description.

In response, the giant lowered himself to peek through the broken glass display, his exposed crystal eye twitching as he examined the completely darkened interior. "Run run, little mouse, run to your hole! Don't let the gray cat strip your skin whole!~" he chanted. The monster was so absorbed in seeking her from inside the liquor store, he didn't notice the pair of legs dangling from the attic window up above, where princess, hugging tightly onto her borrowed rifle for support, held as big a breath as she could like she was preparing to dive into an ocean. Inching herself forward bit by bit, she felt gravity starting to take its hold around her ankles until she proceeded to fall down a two-story building.

For a few seconds that seemed to stretch on for longer than it should, Anna reminisced about the time she and Kristoff fell down a huge cliffside three weeks ago, when they were being pursued by that giant Marshmallow. The memory felt strangely nostalgic as she dropped, but it was cut short the moment Anna's rear bounced off the Bergrisi's shoulder, before sliding the rest of the way down his arm.

Thinking on the spot, the Princess twisted around with the rifle on hand, and rammed the bayonet into the giant's arm, giving herself a support to hold on. "Maybe you should be considering who's the one skinning who!" Anna seethed; using all her strength, she pushed herself against the creature's muscles, feeling herself drop erratically as the blade ripped the tough skin at uneven intervals, spewing translucent gas everywhere. Feeling that she couldn't hold on, she promptly released her grip on the gun and scurried away, covering her ears to block out the giant's yowls. "Okay, okay. Note to self: That didn't work out as well as I thought." Anna muttered. She unclasped her bag to stick her hand inside, making clinking noises as she ruffled through it.

Meanwhile, the Bergrisi threw the rifle aside and began running towards the little redhead, rapidly gaining momentum. Anna remained unfazed, throwing a heavy bottle that smashed against the giant's chest while dodging to the side.

The Bergrisi, snarling at the Princess for not having the good grace to just get flattened already, gouged deep lines into the street pavement to slow himself down. He then stood up to his full height, and walked towards the lady as she chucked even more glass bottles from her sack.

"What do you think you are trying achieve with this, little mouse?" the giant roared, swatting a thrown bottle away with a flick of his wrist. When Anna groped inside the bag for more ammunition, he snapped his hands forward at incredible speeds, forcing Anna to sidestep once more. However, The Bergrisi had predicted her movements beforehand and countered by slapping her mid-lunge, rolling her a fair distance on the hard ground.

Anna gasped; the pain the bloomed across her entire chest was incredible… but not so much that the redhead couldn't focus herself and stand back on her feet.

"That's right, little mouse…" the Bergrisi leered. "Just keep standing up, see how far that foolish determination can take you until you're nothing! Nothing but an irregular spot on the dirt!"

Anna's head was still a little too preoccupied to give a decent comeback. Instead, she simply held up the small lantern she'd plucked from within the shop.

The Bergrisi's elation faded away, and he tilted his head at the Princess curiously. "I don't get it." he flatly stated.

Anna flashed the giant a devilish grin, and threw the lantern at him.

The giant's crystal eye twitched, irritated by the girl's silence. He batted the little lantern away…

...and was promptly combusted into flames.

"GWUAHHH! WARGHHH!" the monster screamed, wreathed in fire burning bright and hot - blue flames smothered his entire chest, hungrily licking at him with whiplike lashes as it spread even further to his arms and face. Staggering from the heat, he unintentionally crushed one of the few bottles on the ground that had remained intact, its faded label reading: _Uncle Spruce's Locally-Burnt Whiskey - "Oh god, I'm seeing things!"_

"Booyah!" Anna cheered, jumping and pumping both her fists into the air in celebration. "Woot! Consider yourself roasted, Mister!" In all honesty though, she wasn't sure how effective the fire would be to the Bergrisi; he treated everything else like a flimsy tickling session. At the very least, Anna didn't dare to stick around and find out - the redhead turned tail to run while the monster still panicked from burning, a fool's grin etched on her face.

Unfortunately, that prevented her from seeing the Bergrisi's flailing hand abruptly change direction, whipping around until it scored a direct hit that swept the Princess sharply to the side. She felt the pain most at the arm where the blow landed, where it felt as if it was splitting apart at the seams, followed by several smaller bruising spots all over her body as she tumbled to the floor. Completely taken by surprise, the only thing Anna could do was curl herself into a fetal position and clutch at her arm in agony. "Ow…" she moaned. "Owowowow…"

A massive shadow that seemed to encompass the entire town crawled over Anna as she writhed. In-between tears, she glanced upwards: The Bergrisi's body, which was covered in patches of discolored, ashen skin and soot, didn't move except for a callused hand snuffing out the last of the alcohol flames. He didn't seem much worse for the wear, and while the creature's face was emotionless, the exposed eye betrayed his mask by burning with utmost fury and hatred for the girl lying before him, hotter than any fire she could have set on him.

Anna, too incapacitated by the pain to move, could only curl tighter as the Bergrisi's fist blurred in its descent upon her.

Out of the gray emerged twin silver arcs of light, flinging sparks in all directions as they clashed against the giant's engorged forearm and shoved it aside so the impending crater was only centimeters away from where Anna's head would've been.

Another hand, human this time, plucked Anna with ease before smushing her body against something semisolid, carrying her off to safety with surprising agility. The savior's bounding and the somewhat rough handling did cause the Princess some discomfort, but enough of the agony had subsided enough for her to glance upwards to identify him... and promptly drop her jaw in amazement. "Mi-Mister Shirtless Sailor?"

The rhinoceros of a man looking back down at her, unamused by her alarm. "I would like to tell you that my name is really He XiongQiang, little lady. Mister He is acceptable too." His nostrils flared. "Also, you smell like wine and dead fish."

"Less chatting, more running, X!" demanded an exhausted, young-ish man wearing one too-many belts sprinting alongside them. Sheathing his gleaming dagger and sword, he flicked his sharp, hawkish eyes at the girl. "You know that little stunt of yours made him angry, right!?"

"He was already angry!" Anna snapped back.

The corsair grinned. "Still, gotta love your energy and drive though. How about you join my crew after this mess?"

"Wait, what-"

"In here, guys!" shouted different voice.

Anna's neck came close to snapping as Mr. He abruptly changed direction, bolting into a darkened house while being followed closely by the corsair. The same voice grunted, followed by the slam of what sounded like a heavy door. With time to stop and breathe, the big man gently lowered Anna back on her feet, examining her for any injuries. "Hm… some bruises and cuts here and there, but I don't see any broken bones. And, you're already standing back on your feet. A very lucky little lady you are, Miss…"

"Anna."

The giant of a man nodded to her, and craned his bare existence of a neck to the younger man. "She's safe and mostly healthy, Captain Himmel."

"Yeah yeah, just gimme a bit..." the privateer replied. He faced the newcomer with his arms crossed, raising an eyebrow in suspicion. "So… explain to me why we just walked ourselves into what is essentially a giant lunchbox?"

"Aw, don't worry so much about it." the voice replied. Stepping into view, Sigurd regarded everyone with a bright and enthusiastic expression, proudly patting the entrance door. "The lock system is of my design! That big guy couldn't bust in if he attached a battering ram to his fist!"

"Who cares about lock systems!? We're stuck inside, and that-... that _thing_ just lurking out there doing who knows what!"

Mister He raised one overly-muscled hand while lightly knocking the back of his captain's head with the other. "Actually, I am rather interested in your craft. Please ignore this little stupid one here and tell me how this lock works-"

"Everyone, quiet!" Anna whispered harshly, cutting everyone else short. She shifted her gaze wildly between them, and pointed to each one in disbelief. "I thought all of you guys were escorted within the Palace walls with everyone else!"

The strapping corsair patted his First Mate on the shoulder with a wry smirk. "Us privateers don't do too well with enclosed spaces, love."

Anna turned towards Sigurd.

"...I just really wanted to see a giant monster." the blacksmith sheepishly admitted.

An ear-splitting noise sent the four leaping into the air as the walls besides them suddenly ripped open a fissure. Behind it the Bergrisi growled, thrusting his hand into the building in an attempt to grab at one of the runaways. Everyone immediately backed away from the predatory monster and gave Sigurd accusatory looks.

"Look, I'm a blacksmith, not an architect! How should I know the rest of this house wouldn't hold up!?"

The hand suddenly flipped around, lifting itself against the ceiling that left cracks spreading in all directions, causing the house to groan terrifyingly against its own weight. With a mighty heave, the Bergrisi completely separated everything above the first floor and catapulted the crumbling remains into the misted distance. He looming over all four, his teeth bared in a fearsome scowl.

"There. You. Are." the monster rasped, plucking Anna out of the group. The others tried to intervene, but he whipped his other hand at them without a second glance. XiongQiang was the first to react, wrapping his thick arms around the other two and taking the full brunt of the hit, sending all three into the choked dust clouds.

"Guys!" Anna screamed, desperately trying to pull herself out from the Bergrisi's grip. The fingers around her squeezed tighter as she struggled though, and she forced herself to stop lest she run out of breath.

"You... You have been nothing but a pain, little mouse." the Bergrisi muttered softly. "In fact, you were putting up such a struggle, it isn't fun chasing you anymore." The space between the giant's brow furrowed, and he threw Anna against a wall, knocking the wind out of her sails as she slid pitifully back down into a floating cloud of dust. "Die, knowing that everything that you have done, all the efforts you have expended, all the people who tried assisting you at the expense of their own lives, had been in vain." Then, he slammed his fist down where Anna lied.

Then, he did it again.

And again. And again, and again and again and again until he was just pulverizing the same spot over and over, reducing everything below into fine dust that shot upwards and congested everything, manic laughter bubbling forth from his frothing lips as his poundings increased in both frequency and frenzy. "Die!" he screamed, punctuating his words with every blow. "Die! Die, die die die die, you filthy ape! Die and have your bones ground into ashes, your flesh beaten into paste! Die! Gurahahahaha-"

Giant pillars burst forth from the piles of rubble before the Bergrisi could continue any further, interlocking around him in tightly angled patterns that formed massive stocks, holding him in place. The monster sputtered out of surprise; the thick columns were crystal-clear and gleamed as if they were made of… ice.

Tilting his head curiously, he then flicked his vision to his locked hand in search of whatever was left of the redhead, only to see wickedly sharp icicles jutting out of his hissing skin. In fact, now that he was (in a way) forced to take a breather, the Bergrisi saw rime everywhere, crawling in latticed and whorled paths down walls, over destroyed support beams, and even in the very air itself, which shimmered like diamonds due to minuscule ice particles kicked upwards by brute force.

Nonplussed, the giant puffed a heavy breath to blow the snow powder away, revealing a solid pristine barrier, its initially spiked surface pounded smooth by his frenzy. He could see a large man pressing himself on the other side, having used all of his strength to support the wall so it wouldn't collapse on a completely unharmed redhead behind him.

"K-Kristoff!" Anna stuttered out of relief. She let his large, gentle hands slip beneath her, and was hoisted up into a bridal carry by the ice harvester.

"Anna! Are you alright?" Kristoff asked frantically, bounding over what was left of a fireplace to flee the scene. "How badly are you hurt?"

"I'm fine! I'm fine!" Anna reassured. "I just- I just need a little rest, that's all."

"More of these simians just keep coming out of the bark, aren't they!? I'll crush them all!" The Bergrisi howled, rattling against his crystal prison while the amethyst spines on his back flashed in violet shades. Spidery imperfections formed within the structures with every violent shake, counting down how much closer he will be to breaking free and chasing the two down, torturing them for being so impudent in his wake before finally giving them the most humiliating death-

"Halt, Bergrisi!" trumpeted a voice, cutting through the cold mist with the efficiency of a knife's edge. The sound of a heel clicked once, and the entire frosted floor beneath the Bergrisi jerked counterclockwise before a pair of cold, glacial blue eyes, that of a Royal Lady staring down face-to-face with a prisoner - even dressed in damaged, civilian clothing did little to hide her aura. Behind her stood a great, hulking guardian who also glared down at him pitilessly, his clawed hands cradling the three men the Bergrisi blew away earlier.

"Ha!" The edge of the monster's lips reached all the way to his ears upon seeing their familiar faces. "I knew it was a good idea to leave you alive, Elsa!"

The Snow Queen stared hard back at him, a truly terrific sight of vibrant blue whose power gave color back to the dreary and partially-destroyed town. Her eyes flashed once, and the Bergrisi was blasted with a blast of wintry wind, smothering him in frost that coagulated into spikes and spirals across his joints - they combined to form petaled feathers, coating all but the beast's amethyst spines and their pulsing lights. Once again, tranquility has settled back into the streets of Arendelle.

"Elsa!" The redheaded Princess charged from the sidelines to tackle her elder sister in a hug, burying her face deep into her cool shoulders. At first, the Queen of Arendelle merely blinked from the dynamic entry, but she quickly broke out of her regal display to return the favor, absorbing herself in every passing moment of it.

"Y-you're safe…" Anna sniffled, dabbing her eyes on Elsa's borrowed vest before squeezing a little tighter. "Don't you-… don't you ever run off like that again, okay?"

"I won't. At least, not without a friend next time." Elsa soothed, flicking her eyes to a grinning Kristoff. She did her best to give Anna the warmest smile she could offer, not wanting to tell her how close _she _came to breaking into tears the entire trip all the way to Arendelle, especially when she and Kristoff had to combine efforts before it was too late for the Princess. The fact that Anna was right here, still miraculously no worse for the wear in spite of the Queen's failure, nearly overwhelmed her.

The redhead noisily wiped her nose with the back of her sleeve and nodded. Her bright eyes then drifted over to the giant golem standing nearby, who strangely enough seemed to be a little apprehensive of the Princess. Anna gawked at the massive creature edging away from her, and tentatively brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Uh… hello there." She coughed once, noticing everyone's stares. "Well. This is awkward."

"You… you tell me, love." One of the men in Marshmallow's arms pushed himself up to see the rest of them, his expression still a little dazed by what the Bergrisi dealt to him. "You…" Peter Himmel slurred, pointing at Elsa, "you've had me for a fool-"

"-Say another word about my sister, Mister Himmel, and we throw down." Anna warned. "You aren't the first pretty face I've punched."

The privateer captain blinked twice in rapid succession, and eyed the ice harvester standing close by.

"No, I wasn't the first." Kristoff responded. "Admittedly, I'm a little touched that you find my face pretty."

The ground shook with intensity, causing everyone except Marshmallow to stumble and cutting their conversations short. From within the tomb Elsa had encased the Bergrisi, they could see movements thrashing inside, knocking away tiny pieces of ice everywhere to the sound of harsh breathing. One particular patch of ice popped out, allowing an exposed, crystalline orb to stare at all of them in absolute hatred.

"He's…" Anna swallowed. "He's not going to give up, is he? I mean, I tried everything on this guy, and he just doesn't care! Guns don't work. Blades don't work, not even fire! What are we going to do?"

Elsa didn't say anything for a little while, only holding herself in contemplation as the creature within struggled. First, she look at Anna, her dear little sister who managed to hold her own against an ancient monster all by herself for this long, in spite of being but a girl whose bravery surpassed the sum of everyone else. Then, she looked at Kristoff, a man who'd been proving himself over and over again, using his skills, strength and level head to his full advantage.

Everyone else too… they do their best to provide support, keep each other alive. It's only the basic concept of teamwork after all, to work together and cover each other's weaknesses and failings so success becomes possible.

"I…" Elsa began quietly. "I can't beat him just by myself. Neither could you, Anna, and even Marshmallow cannot possibly match his strength and intelligence..." She closed her eyes, breathed in deeply to compose herself, and straightened her arms and posture as she faced her companions. "But that was because we were fighting alone, going by through sheer, dumb luck in the hopes no one else gets hurt..."

Her closest friends stared wide-eyed at Elsa, but quickly understood her intent with a nod of their heads. "We'll work together, then. Take down this big guy once and for all." Kristoff commented.

"Well, y-yes."

The mountain snorted. "As far as bad situations go, it's not like we have a better option, is there?"

Elsa smiled a little. "That too. Get Sigurd to send a message to Captain Arvid, have him tell everything we know so far. If what you said about the giant is true, Anna, then we're going to need something heavier for assistance." The Queen of Arendelle turned back to the Bergrisi's tomb, which to the uninitiated eye seemed remarkably intact of all things considered. However, the graying color and complete opacity in the ice was more than enough to tell the platinum-blonde that the giant was coming very, very close to freeing himself.

_Showtime._

"Mister Bergrisi…" the platinum-blonde began.

Between heaving snorts, the crystal eye twitched and focused in on her.

"As Queen of Arendelle, I declare you officially responsible for attacking a member of the Royal Family, the destruction of private property, displacing hundreds of people from their homes and welfare, and for actively threatening to destroy this kingdom with the full intention of carrying them out!" Elsa proclaimed with swipe of her hand - a silvery gale inflected with diamond dust clamored its way through the streets, dropping the temperature even lower than it already was as well as painting rimed snowflake patterns on every flat surface it touched. As evidence of its magical nature, it had no effect on the Snow Queen or her allies, at best causing her cerulean cape to pop and snap dramatically. Instead, it crashed like a wave on the frozen Bergrisi itself, buffeting him with its viciously cold sting and power. "Either surrender unconditionally now, or be sentenced to death!"

In the face of all this, the Bergrisi laughed long and enthusiastically, the amethyst prisms adorning his back pulsing violet light with increasing frequency. Popping a vein on his gray and battle-scarred forehead, he blew free from his shell with the force of a bomb, letting loose ice shrapnel that was quickly blown away like paper in the wind. "Gurahahahaha!" he guffawed - every muscle in his body started to shiver and expand, pressing tightly against gray skin until every contour of sinew was easily visible. "Go and do your worst, humans! I won't be nearly so charitable the second time around!"

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><p><strong>Play KILL7la切ル (Kill 7la Kiru) during the crazier parts for maximum effect.<strong>

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><p><strong>Questions? Thoughts? Theories? You can either share them with me, or post them as a review below. Or we could just... you know, talk. I'm not a social media guy.<strong>

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen_. Happy Frozen Fandom Month and Frohana Week.**


	23. Ch 23: Everything Will Be Alright

**I'm aliiiiiive!**

**I know it's been almost two months since my last update, and I can only beg forgiveness. College life is... well, yeah. But, I also have two news for you guys: Number one, in a move which I will consider as a result of peer pressure, I got myself a Tumblr blog. I will post updates there and will generally be more accessible to the masses, so feel free to check out cheffailure at your own volition.**

**Number Two, I commissioned an artwork from comickergirl that serves as this fanfic's title card, which I'm rather proud of if I do say so myself. You can't see it on her blog, but you can check it out on mine. **

**Without further ado, enjoy.**

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><p><span>Chapter 23<span>

Everything Will Be Alright

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><p><em>KRKRkkrrrkkrk!<em>

"Guys, he's over there!"

"Gurahahahaha!"

"Look out!"

_CRASH!_

The streets of Arendelle had been thrown in a state of complete chaos for the past five minutes, drowned in thick plumes of smoke and dust. Buildings that have once been beautiful homes and shops now laid in decrepit ruins, rendered nearly-unrecognizable by the battle raging among. Adding to the forlorn atmosphere were thin slivers of frost clung to their walls and shattered windows, although piles of snow and ice blocks dotting the scenery granted tranquil pockets amidst the madness.

One pile, however, began to sparkle and swirl at two adjacent spots on the street pavement, forming two clumps of compact snow. These structures rapidly grew trunk-like and jointed, crawling upwards in the open air, until an idle observer could actually point their resemblance to a pair of legs, one that was on its way to gaining a full body.

_WHUMP!_

A giant fist the size and shape of a boulder slammed down on the swirling mass, reverting all the snow back to its inert state. The hulking Bergrisi threw his head back and laughed heartily, surrounded by similar clumps of lifeless frost littering the streets; each one of them had been failed attempts creating a being of ice and snow.

"Elsa!" shouted a redheaded girl in a green dress. She jerked her older sister by the hand into a nearby alley, just barely dodging a flying chunk of wreckage coming their way. Once the two were hidden out of sight, Anna rested her shovel on her shoulder and faced Elsa directly. "Look sis, I know it sounds really, really cool to have more snowmen running around, it really does! But do you have the time and day right now?"

The platinum-blonde tucked her chin in sheepishly, averting her eyes from Anna's gaze. "I was thinking that maybe we could use another snowman just like Marshmallow..."

"I know that!" Anna sighed exasperatedly. "The big problem is, _he _knows it too! Why else would he treat this whole thing like some sort of a whack-a-mole- Gyah!"

"Well, _hello."_ The Bergrisi's pulsing, twitching amethyst eyeball flashed ominously as it focused on the two girls huddled together; plastered on the fearsome brute's face was a grotesque mix between a grin and a scowl, which complimented with his partially-torn face to make him look absolutely demonic. "Where are the rest!?"

The two girls didn't respond, but neither did they have to; the sound of jingling belt buckles over the giant's heaving breaths preluded a blur of fabric and leather, one that rammed himself into the Bergrisi's ribs and shoved him aside. "What are you waiting for, ladies!?" shouted Captain Himmel, securing himself to the creature by thrusting a knife into him. "Get going! I'll hold him off!"

The Royal Sisters gave him thankful nods, complying by running out and down the street while Himmel repeatedly stabbed the giant over and over with his silver cutlass.

He might as well as have been using a toothpick for all the trouble though, because the Bergrisi merely responded with an irritated snarl, snapping his fingers around the privateer. "Get your hideous self away from me, you dirty ape!" The monster then proceeded to pitch him into a wall - if it weren't for the pile of snow Elsa hastily summoned to cushion his impact, the man would've had more than a few broken bones to worry about. Instead, he simply disappeared inside with a puff.

The Snow Queen pivoted on the heels of her feet, releasing a blast of magic that congealed on the ground before her into a lance of ice, as thick around the base as an old tree. Rocketing forth, it forced the Bergrisi to twist his body at an awkward position to avoid it.

The same couldn't be said, however, for the old pickaxe that sunk into his flesh immediately afterwards.

The great beast stared at the mining tool lodged into his ridged shoulder with a confused expression, an act that did little to deter a second pickaxe whistling through the air as it spun towards him. It bounced off the giant's forehead by the handle, knocking the monster's chin a few inches backwards.

"Is everyone alright?" shouted Kristoff, balancing another pickaxe in his hand. The ice harvester raised it above his head to toss at the Bergrisi, but was forced to drop it when the giant changed tactics and stormed after him instead while roaring ferociously and rearing a massive hand back for a punch. The young man tried to dodge the blow by diving to the side, but the giant shifted gears mid-rampage and kicked him instead - Kristoff slammed his back against a cracked wall, stunned and gagging from having the wind knocked out of him.

The Bergrisi loomed over the immobilized ice harvester, plucking the pickaxe off his shoulder with almost casual abandon. "You can't seriously believe you could square with me with such little toys..." he purred, raising a massive and scarred thumb for Kristoff to see. The giant gently rested it against Kristoff's chest, and began to apply pressure, the smile on his face growing wider as the ice harvester began to squirm and wriggle like an ineffectual bug caught under a boot. In fact, the Bergrisi was almost relishing the moment, drawing it out as long as he could just to see more of young man's sweating and panicked face. "Let's see how long you can hold out before I poke a hole through you..."

"Ngh..." Kristoff's face reddened into a shade of scarlet as he pushed back with his arms, an effort barely enough to keep his ribcage from flattening.

"Oh? You seem to be quite the stubborn sort..." the Bergrisi mused. A grin seemed to wrap around his entire face, and the creature's thumb pressed even deeper. "_Excellent." _

Behind the ice harvester, the wall crackled and splintered even further, spreading outwards like a chaotically arranged spider web, with Kristoff as the fly trapped at the very middle. Overall, it was painfully clear between the two that the mountain man wasn't going to last long: Either the Bergrisi presses him to death, or the wall finally caves in and buries the young man in stone.

"Three can play at this game of strength!" Out of the dust, He Xiongqiang burst into the scene and tackled the Bergrisi on the engorged forearm. The First Mate hugged it tightly, using his thewed figure to wrestle the giant away from the ice harvester.

Kristoff, still wheezing but relieved of the giant's torture, rushed by the burly sailor's side to latch to the monster as well; together, the two men managed to hold the great beast in place. "Now, Marshmallow!" he gasped.

An earsplitting roar answered Kristoff's call - the massive snow behemoth charged onto the street and socked the Bergrisi right in the face, snapping the monster's head uncomfortably close to his lower body so Kristoff and Mister He could escape to the side. Needless to say, the amethyst beast was less than enthused for having his fun cut short; he growled, countering with a punch to Marshmallow's jaw, scattering razor-sharp ice teeth in all directions. The golem merely retaliated with another vicious punch, following it with another, and then another, until he was absolutely whaling on the monster mercilessly.

In spite of the heavy fists now hailing on him, the Bergrisi retained a bloodthirsty smile as he laughed in contempt. "Gurahahahaha! You think that's enough, you mindless construct!?" He raised a hand with his fingers outspread, causing Marshmallow to stall; not wanting to lose yet another hand to the brutish beast, the snowman ended his flurry of punches and jerked back.

That was exact reaction the Bergrisi had been hoping for - his exposed eye locked on Marshmallow's exposed gut, and then he plunged his hand straight through him, his thick fingers exiting out of the snowman's spiny back. "Let me show you how far down you are in the hierarchy!" he roared victoriously; the bulbous vein on the giant's forehead swelled, and then he shredded through Marshmallow's body horizontally, bisecting him in two.

"Marshmallow!" Elsa cried, watching as the Bergrisi laughed merrily over her friend's struggling remains. She struck the snow golem's upper half with a bolt of ice, enveloping Marshmallow in magic that solidified into crystal-clear ice, less than a second before the giant stomped down - miraculously, the barrier survived the Bergrisi's execution blow. When Elsa attempted to provide more support though, the monster whipped around and changed targets, going straight for the Snow Queen herself.

Elsa scowled, scattering sparks with a swipe of her hand. A wall under her command erected itself towards the sky, connecting one side of the street with another. The Bergrisi did not pause for even a single heartbeat though; before the Snow Queen could add fortifications, he ran even faster, applying his monstrous speed and bulk to ram the wall in a full-body tackle. Like a wrecking ball on legs, he utterly demolished the structure, scattering many shards and chunks that fanned outwards, bouncing off street pavements and destroying sections of homes.

Too preoccupied by the mess flying around her, the platinum-blonde was hardly in any position to see the oversized knuckles until she was sent tumbled to the floor. She rolled once... thrice... seven times over, and when her body finally stopped, the excruciating pain all over her arms and chest was the only thing preventing her from blacking out right then and there.

_Oh geez, he's coming!_ she alerted to herself._ On your feet!_

"Can't... move..." Elsa slurred.

"Elsa, run!" Anna screamed, raising a hand towards her sister as she ran, faster than her legs have ever taken her so far. "Elsa!"

Alas, the redhead was too late; while the platinum-blonde desperately struggled to rise, the Bergrisi had already raised a hideously gigantic, soil-encrusted foot a few feet above her head. Pressing it down on the Queen of Arendelle's back, restricting her movement, the monster then leered at the Princess. "Take one step further, little mouse, and you shall relearn to appreciate the difference between human flesh and stone!"

Anna skidded to a halt, a mixture of terror and confliction manifesting on her freckled face. Her heart thundered against her ears; all the Bergrisi needed to do to win was to kill her sister right then and there. Kristoff and Mister He stopped in their tracks too, both at a complete loss for what to do.

Captain Himmel, on the other hand, was still nowhere to be seen.

"Good, good..." the Bergrisi crooned, briefly lifting his foot high to reveal the Snow Queen for everyone else to witness. "She's still alive, see?"

This confirmation didn't provide any comfort to the redhead at all; it was akin to seeing her sister put under the a guillotine's blade, one that was set to drop at any given second. Not only was it unpleasant to think about, but it was also agonizing, painful, terrifying... and familiar. The whole scenario reeked of spine-chilling familiarity: Anna could still recall the singing blade of a power-hungry Prince as it thirsted for blood.

"Now that we are here, why don't we all settle down and have a nice little conversation?" the Bergrisi continued, deliberately lowering his foot closer Elsa's injured body.

"Wait, don't hurt her!" Anna blurted.

"Oh, but I won't... at least, so long as you comply. We all must remain civil, after all." The foot lowered even further, until its wide shadow completely blotted the platinum-blonde's figure. "I know you simians tend to be quite dogged, so I was afraid keeping her alive wouldn't worth the effort."

"A-Anna... Don't..." Elsa groaned.

The Princess squeezed her eyes in frustration, and faced the Bergrisi. "What... what do you want?" she asked through grinding teeth.

"It's nothing much, really! Just give me a simple little answer to a simple little question, and then I'll let your sister go and be on my way." assured the Bergrisi. "It's what you want after all, isn't it? Your sister's safety and well-being?" He sneered, the corners of his lips reaching all the way around to his ears.

Anna didn't say anything.

The amethyst beast nodded in approval. "Now... _where are the others?"_

"Wh-wha-"

"The others! Where are the rest of your townspeople!" he shouted, abruptly waving his hands and foot wildly to emphasize his point. Flecks of age-old dirt and refuse trickled from the sole of his foot, covering Elsa's weakened body in a light layer of dust. "Little mouse, tell me where you have been hiding the people of this filthy human settlement, or else your one and only chance of ever defeating me is dashed to the ground! Tell me!"

Elsa simply raised a hand out to her baby sister, her voice strained as she mumbled: "Anna... r-run..."

"Hmph." The Bergrisi snorted with utter disdain for his hostage. Turning his head back to the Princess, he growled, "Little mouse, this isn't a matter of you maintaining your duty to your people, or beating me, or deciding what is right or wrong. This... this is a matter of whether or not you want to see your dear sister again. Do you truly wish to condemn your family just like that?"

"I-I..."

Come now, choose! It's either one or the other, unless if you wish the decision to fall upon these two gentlemen here..." the Bergrisi droned, flourishing a hand towards Kristoff and Mister He. "_I _don't know what morals they follow, so you better make your mind up fast while you still have the chance. Time is ticking..."

The air between everyone froze, with not a single sound uttered by anyone except for the Bergrisi's naturally heavy breaths. Anna's blue eyes flicked from the Bergrisi, to Elsa, and then to her friends; it was obvious that her sister was the only person who could conceivably defeat the giant given their limited time and resources. If Elsa dies, not only would she lose the last of her family, but the entire kingdom would be lost as a result no matter how this battle plays out.

"Tick... tock..."

So... Anna _could_ tell him the truth and buy everyone some time... It was harsh, it was risky, but it'll give everyone a chance where there was none. Even better, she could try lying about their location, keep everyone safe for the time being. One may even call it pragmatic...

...But who said the Bergrisi was the kind of guy who'd keep his word?

At the corner of her vision, Anna spotted Elsa's icy blue eyes glittering underneath the Bergrisi's shadow, narrowed and full of determination. The Princess immediately understood with the most microscopic of nods, in the hopes the Bergrisi couldn't see it: Anna just needed to stall for a little bit more, at least until Elsa can finally recover and launch a counterattack.

The Bergrisi's amethyst eye flickered, and the monster sighed to himself in exasperation. "Tut tut, I'm surprised you simians don't have a value for time after all." He flashed Anna a cheery smile. "It's a real shame too, because I'm about to collect what's overdue."

_No... no no no! _The dawning terror on Anna's face mirrored the one held hostage by the amethyst monster as they drew to the same conclusion. The redhead screamed a great, resounding "No!"; all three active combatants broke into a mad dash for the monster, but they were too late; the Bergrisi roared as he slammed his foot down on the Queen of Arendelle, who could only squeeze her eyes in anticipation in front of her powerless friends, and wait as the world around her rapidly turned black.

And then… nothing.

Strangely enough for the Snow Queen, there was no crushing sensation that came with stamping her to the pavement no sound of bones crunching under pressure. Whatever she could have possibly anticipated to feel when her last living seconds finally ticked away, she certainly wasn't expecting this... this lack thereof, As a matter of fact, Elsa wouldn't find it too hard to believe that she was currently alone with just her thoughts, floating in an endless, sightless void; her body certainly felt as numb as it was a few seconds ago, if she even still had just a body before.

_Am I... am I dead? _

_Have I... Is it all over? _She thought to herself.

Still though, if she was alone, what's with all these screams, crashes, and voices echoing inside her head? Why is her surroundings still clamoring away, with hardly a change in tone whatsoever?

_Uh... I think you missed a spot check there._

Elsa peeked her eyes open, and gasped: She found herself staring straight at the bottom of an oversized foot, one that hovered about an inch from her nose and scattered pebbles with every quiver as it tried to complete its course. Absolutely nothing else registered in her mind: she was alive and untouched... and not alone.

A distinct presence brushed against the Queen's side, prompting Elsa to glance in its direction: Next to her laid a waifish figure, whose extended arms and legs were all that stood between them and the Bergrisi's immense weight. Sweat rolled down the girl's matted hair, and she made soft little squeaks of restrained agony despite displaying no signs of wavering or breaking down.

Elsa could hardly believe her eyes. It was only until she gawked for a couple of dumbfounded seconds when she finally snapped into action, hastily assisting the newcomer in pushing the Bergrisi away and shouldering some of the burden. "In-Ingrid!" she yelled in disbelief. "What on Earth are you doing here!?"

The florist didn't reply, but a voice rang out from beyond their trapped space, as loud and clear as a bombastic baritone blare: "Fire!"

A crack of thunder, and the oppressive darkness shadowing the ladies gave way to the open skies and flushed the two in fresh air; Like a giant's punch, the round of gunfire was able to knock the Bergrisi a good few yards away.

Ingrid flopped lifelessly on the ground, like a marionette with all her strings cut. Her eyes fluttered, her face was flushed, she was drenched in sweat, and her chest rose up and down like her lungs couldn't take in air fast enough. Without a second of hesitation, Elsa slung the girl's arm over her shoulder and limped over to Anna, who was now waving her shovel as she rushed over to their side. Together, the three girls tucked themselves within the dilapidated remains that was once a home, where Ingrid was rested against a broken wall with the utmost care.

"E-Elsa, I'm so glad you... you made it out okay!" breathed Anna, almost too overwhelmed by relief to speak properly. "That sailor guy, Mister Himmel, some of his friends came to help!" Her blue eyes examined the girl before them, and then she turned back to her older sister. "Do you... do you know her?"

Elsa hesitated. "I-"

"...Elizabeth?"

The platinum-blonde froze. She apprehensive shifted her gaze to Ingrid, whose eyelids fluttered in a vain attempt to stay conscious.

"Oh... _oh._" Anna said, nodding to herself with eyes wide in realization. "Um..." She nervously glanced at Elsa's cyan vest and blue cape, biting her lips while Ingrid's head drooped back into a tired doze.

The Snow Queen stared quietly at the florist for a few more seconds, and then flicked her wrist once; a sheet of ice rose out of the ground and wrapped the delirious florist within, a protective blanket to shield her from the turmoil outside. So long as the Bergrisi was not actively seeking Ingrid out, she should be safe for the duration of this mess. Satisfied with the results, Elsa turned around with a flip of her cape, and headed straight back for the fighting grounds. "Let's go, Anna. We can't let him have his way and hurt anyone ever again."

"But... what about her?" Anna asked, scrunching her nose into frown. "She seemed pretty worried about you, and you have to admit that what she did was impressive."

"I..." Elsa sighed. "At least Captain Himmel and Mister He are obligated to fight by my side, no matter what current opinion they hold for me. With Ingrid..." Elsa looked down, picking at a torn piece of fabric from her borrowed civilian dress. "She's putting herself in danger for the wrong reasons."

"Reasons." Anna flatly stated.

"She still believe that I am her friend."

Anna blinked twice in rapid succession, and then pouted as she approached her sister, all but ready to give her a piece of her mind. "Elsa, is that _really_ what you think about everyone else-"

"Hey!" shouted Peter Himmel, interrupting the two. "A little help, anyone!?"

The Bergrisi laughed from over head, causing tremors in the ground with the sheer reverberation of his voice. He slammed a palm down on the ground, narrowly missing the privateer by the foot. The nimble Captain and his First Mate began circling the Bergrisi wielding bayonets, jabbing away at the monster's advances while a small team of people reloaded their pistols and rifles. Their eclectic yet familiar looks and apparent experience with firearms was more than enough to tell Elsa that they were members of Himmel's crew. Naturally, this did little to subside the grin from the Bergrisi's face, whose exposed eye quickly betrayed his bloodlust. "You simians are just too amusing, thinking that combined efforts can amount to squat! Despair! Despair as I pummel you all to the floor!"

"Just shut it, ya hunk of second-rate jewelry!" snapped the captain, of whom Mister He yanked by the scruff of his neck to avoid yet another strike. "With all this big talk, I swear you're just nothing more than a glorified set of cheap bagpipes! On legs!"

"Oh?" The Bergrisi hunkered down into a low stance, his elbows shuddering as they pulled back until Elsa could have swore she heard an audible _click_. The privateers, seeing the giant in such an immobilized and vulnerable position, immediately seized the moment to swarm in and begin a unrelenting assault on the Bergrisi's hide, hacking away with their knives and landing point-blank pistol shots where his scars were the deepest. Steam hissed enthusiastically from the new series of lacerations, encouraging the sailors to continue attacking.

The Bergrisi's exposed eye flashed; before anyone could react, the monster lunged with both his fists snapping forward, faster than the eye could see - A harsh clap shook the air, and suddenly all the crew members were blown backwards with the force of a locomotive, their bodies not even flying in arcs so much as they were straight beelines.

"No!" shouted Elsa. Without a second to spare, the Snow Queen twirled both her hands in a dancing motion, calling forth a torrential, snow-tinged gale that pushed against the combatants' backs and slowed their trajectories; they fell to the ground without complication, saved from further injury. Then, the Snow Queen turned to face the Bergrisi with fresh determination in her icy blue eyes, standing tall and defiant as she shouted: "Over here! I'm the one you really want!"

The giant cast an aside-glance at her, his muscle joints still twitching and crackling from his attack, his partially-opened mouth forming into what could only be charitably described as a grin. "Not at all, Elsa, unless you've finally decided to tell me where you're keeping the rest of your kingdom!"

The platinum-blonde scowled, and clicked her borrowed heel on the pavement surface; a massive rectangular pillar rocketed upwards from beneath the Bergrisi and uppercut his chin, snapping his tombstone chompers together. He reeled away from her and rested a hand against another building, causing it to collapse under his weight and choke the air in more dust.

Out of nowhere, Kristoff's voice echoed loud and clear: "She's not the only one you should worry about!" Several grappling hooks, the kind often used by mountain hikers in the Arendelle outdoors, whistled high-pitched notes as they flew out of the resultant clouds one by one. Most of them only bounced off the Bergrisi's thick skin, but two managed to successfully latch onto his ears, much to the giant's displeasure. The smoke and dust cleared to reveal the ice harvester and the Princess, who dug in their heels into the rubble and pulled on the ropes attached at the hooks' ends, stringing the monster to the sound of his pained howls.

"Aaaagh! Uwaaaah! You filthy, hideous, pungent vermin! You should learn your places!" The Bergrisi twisted his head sharply to the side, jerking the couple several yards towards him like a wrangler pulling in his catch. Even as the two scurried to back, the monster laughed; just one more yank of the rope would be enough to send them flying.

The Bergrisi wasn't able to follow through with his thoughts, however, because a massive white creature clamped his sharp claws around both the giant's wrists. Having been given time to reattach his body whole, Marshmallow roared directly into the Bergrisi's face and covered him in snow-spittle, permitting Anna and Kristoff to duck back into the fallen debris unnoticed.

The amethyst beast snarled back and rammed his head into Marshmallow's, leaving behind a massive indent into the snowman's forehead. A small, golden piece was knocked askew from its seat as a result, causing it to dangle precariously between the golem's eye sockets; Marshmallow gasped, loosening his grip in panic to fix the tiara back on his head, upon which the Bergrisi seized the ice pillar Elsa had used to uppercut him, snapped it off at the base, and then impaled Marshmallow with it, nailing the golem to the wreckage of what was once a two-story building. The amethyst giant laughed scornfully at the struggling snowman, and tore his right arm off in animalistic glee.

"He can't last any longer at this rate!" exclaimed a panicking Kristoff. "We have to do something!"

"His legs!" Anna alerted.

Elsa nodded. Pointing a finger at the floor directly below the Bergrisi, she fired two bolts in rapid succession that sparked upon contact, blossoming ice structures that clamped around and over his massive feet until the finished product resembled a bizarre pair of shoes. Then, the Snow Queen stomped once on the ground, flash-freezing the entire section of road around the unaware giant into pale, near-frictionless ice.

"Great idea, Elsa!" Kristoff shouted in the distance. He and Anna began to pump their feet as hard as they can, quickly approaching the ice. "Anna, toss it to me!"

The redhead passed her shovel to her boyfriend, who caught it before falling to his knees on the magically-created skating rink: With nothing to alter or impede his speed, Kristoff adapted by focusing on a proper posture, raising the tool in preparation as be bulleted towards the two feuding giants. The very moment the ice harvester was within proximity of the Bergrisi, he gave a great, horizontal swing and achieved what many did not - the blond man cut deep into the grey beast's calf, slicing a wide gash that actually bubbled and frothed, revealing glimpses of the amethyst-purple sinew underneath his skin before boiling into the tell-tale gushes of gas.

"GYAHH!" The Bergrisi screamed at the top of his cavernous lungs, reflexively shattering nearby windows and shop displays. Shoving himself away from Marshmallow, he tried turning around in search of those responsible, only for the ice clamps on his feet to completely throw him off. The beast flailed his hands to reassert his balance, inadvertently knocked the tiara off Marshmallow's head and sending it flying into the rubble.

Marshmallow's eye sockets followed the golden tiara as it tinkled with every bounce, glittering brightly against the grey fog and the ruins like a little star. When it finally vanished...

"...Blasted things, weak enough to resort to such simple tricks..." complained the Bergrisi, chipping bits of ice away with his filth-encrusted nails. "They must be truly desperate if they think this will be enough-"

"...Give it back."

"What are you jabbering about, construct-"

"GIVE! IT! BACK!" Something changed within the behemoth snow golem: Almost literally burning with a fresh fire in his eyes, Marshmallow kicked the Bergrisi harder than he had ever done before, actually destroying the ice bonds suppressing the beast and still lifting him a couple feet off the ground afterwards. Then, while the giant crashed into a shop on the opposite side, Marshmallow shuddered: new teeth poked themselves out from his jaw, and his brow twisted before inflating, restoring the golem's indented head back to its original shape and form.

Fully healed, Marshmallow yanked out the icicle stake out of his chest and hurled it at the Bergrisi, leaving behind a gaping hole that also filled itself in with remarkable speed. The amethyst beast managed to catch the ice pillar, but he couldn't have prepared for the snow golem to duck down, clutch the end of his displaced arm, and whip the Bergrisi with it as if he was swinging a primitive flail.

"Get him, big guy!" Anna cheered.

"You can do it, Marshmallow!" shouted Kristoff.

"Shut up!" The Bergrisi bounced away a swing of Marshmallow's improvised weapon with the back of his wrist. He thwacked the pillar right into the golem's eyes to stun him, and then advanced into what was essentially a one-sided duel, digging chunks of ice and snow out of Marshmallow's chest and chin with violent swings.

For a moment, Marshmallow look like he couldn't make it any further... but then he grunted, flicking his dismembered arm around the Bergrisi's weapon. The hand whipped around the column and constricted with a single tug, crushing it into tiny fragments that fell over the street like hail. Left empty-handed, the Bergrisi was completely exposed to Marshmallow's vicious beatdown: The golem smacked the amethyst giant's face with his loose arm left and right, left and right, again and again until the final blow sent the Bergrisi collapsing to the floor, shaking the Earth under his colossal weight.

"You miserable whelps, always trying to get the upper hand on me!" barked the giant, slamming a fist onto the pavement. The amethyst spines on his back, especially the two massive crystal prisms jutting out of his shoulder blades, started to glow; they didn't whiten as before, but radiated a deep, deep purple that flushed his grayed surroundings. "This is no longer fun-"

_BOOM!_

The Bergrisi slammed down on his back, leaving behind his hanging words and an almost curious look plastered on his face.

For that matter, so did everyone else left standing on the streets. All of their eyes chose to stare at the same thing; sitting primly at the very center of the Bergrisi's battle-scarred chest, right were his sternum should be, was a cast-iron cannonball. It planted itself several inches deep in his flesh, which was honestly more of testament to the giant's toughness than anything else, scorching away surrounding patches of skin to reveal shining muscular structure beneath. The giant twitched once, twice... and then all was silent.

Applause erupted at the other end of the street, prompting Elsa and the rest of her companions to look in its direction; Captain Arvid stood in his usual dignified posture next to a smoking cannon, while soldiers all around cheered and threw their hats into the air, jubilant in light of the monster's defeat. Marshmallow, his spines and teeth retracting back into his body, observed the jubilation with a hint of apprehension; he probably recognized a few of the soldiers from the Seige on the Ice Palace three weeks ago.

"Looks like Sigurd made it just in time." reckoned Kristoff, smiling out of relief.

Elsa continued to stare at the downed beast. "Right..."

Anna congratulatory patted Marshmallow on the leg before standing beside the Queen, mirroring her boyfriend with a relieved smile of her own. Upon seeing the resignation and sadness written all over her older sister, though, it faded away. "...Sis?" she asked, bending down to have a better view of Elsa. "Is something the matter?"

Elsa didn't say anything immediately, but instead looked all around at the carnage that was once Arendelle. She couldn't really feel like joining in on the jubilation, especially when she'd walked along this street not too long ago, in the same outfit to boot.

"Everything's gone..." she mumbled. Just hours ago, this street had been filled with happy people, citizens who never knew destruction or fear on this large of a scale. They didn't think about rampages, or frost once again reaching town-scale levels this deep into summer. Now...

Her melancholy was even beginning to spread; Kristoff's grin disappeared as he followed Elsa's gaze, and he looked unsure of what to say. He too understood the issue: the ice harvester had passed this road many times to sell his wares.

Anna, however pursed her lips and placed both her hands on the two's shoulders. "We'll make it through, guys. Everyone's still safe, and we can always fix things up." Anna paused, and then her face brightened. "You know what?" how about when we clean all of this mess, we can get some carpenters to let us build ice houses and ice buildings! Everyone will love it, I'm sure!"

Elsa still couldn't think of much else besides the destruction, but the faintest hint of a smile returned to her features. "...Of course, Anna. I never would have thought it myself."

"Whoo!" hailed a man's voice, shattering the moment. "Were you saying something, you stale sack of beefcake? You should have spoken up a bit more!" Peter Himmel emerged from the rubble, limping a little with Mister He's support. The two sported battered looks and nosebleeds through both nostrils, damages suffered from the Bergrisi's shockwave attack. Still, such matters did little to wipe the grins off their faces as they approached Elsa. "Say, do you mind if you can get some of your soldiers over here? I've got a few more of my folks that needs attending to- ow!"

The elephant of a man flicked a finger at the privateer captain's head, disapproval all but evident in his bald face. "You'll have to forgive and forget my captain's rudeness, Your Majesty. This had always been a small amount of a..." the First Mate hesitated, "... a small amount of a recurring problem."

"I-it's okay! It's fine!" Elsa quickly responded, a little intimidated by the sailors' presence now that the chaos was over. "So... you're not... angry at me, are you?"

Both sailors cocked their heads at her. "Angry?" Himmel mouthed.

"I-it's nothing. Nevermind." Elsa wasn't particularly interested in carrying the conversation further; somewhere in the back of her mind, Elsa couldn't resist noticing that the First Mate hadn't been wearing a shirt the entire time, much to the... disconcertion of pretty much everyone else. Turning her head to the mountain man behind her, she said, "Kristoff, please have Mister Himmel's crew seen to." She paused, remembering the blanket of ice tucked away from the combat. "There was a girl who got involved as well. Make sure that she's okay."

The ice harvester nodded and walked away. Meanwhile, the younger corsair admonished to his older subordinate: "See? I told you it's fine, X!" The captain's mouth split into a wide grin that seemed almost smug. "She's still our Ellie! Nothing's changed at all!"

Elsa blinked.

Captain Himmel turned back to the platinum-blonde, ruffling through his pockets. "By the way, I uh... I found this."

Elsa stopped breathing- there the tiara was in his hand, with its golden framework and inlaid jewelry, returning to her once more with nary a scratch.

"Crazy thing nearly took my eye out." Peter Himmel joked.

"Oh dear, I'm so terribly sorry..." Elsa reached towards the headpiece, but her fingers seemed almost reluctant to draw any closer. "May I?"

The man tilted his head. "Doesn't it belong to you? I know everyone would think it'd look _fantastic_ on me... but I'd rather return it to its rightful owner."

"About that..." Elsa said doubtfully. Nevertheless she complied, smiling a little as she extended a hand once more towards the tiara. Marshmallow will be so happy once he sees it again-

The entire town rumbled; buildings crumpled to the ground, people were knocked off their feet, and a growling sound that pained Elsa's ears rapidly escalated into a full-on roar. The tiara quickly fell back into Himmel's possession, but that was the least of anyone's concerns; Elsa feared the worse, whipping her head to the Bergrisi's prone body.

Incredibly, the giant's fingers were actually twitching, flexing open and close and digging small ditches into the pavement until they balled up into fists. He punched the ground once, shaking the earth in a fresh wave of tremors as he rose to his knees, heaving ragged breaths that misted the air and smelled of old dirt. The cannonball thudded as it fell from his chest, and the monster stared at everyone with absolute hatred in his eyes.

"I've... I've _had _it with these filthy, punitive, disgusting, _arrogant_ little simians!" His elephantine skin started to crackle at a hideous volume, resembling even more like granite than ever; sections of his body swelled and snapped, twisting here and there at gruesome angles before straightening, folding over, intersecting and splitting apart. Cracks in his hide snaked along his injuries, releasing even more pale gas into the air around him, and veins along his limbs pulsed with sickening frequency. All the while, the Bergrisi screamed and howled incessantly, banging himself against the fallen remains of homes he destroyed, bubbling spittle out of his wide mouth. If anything, the giant seemed to be undergoing as much pain as such a transformation could imply.

"Get the other cannons over here, men!" reverberated Captain Arvid from his side of the street, swiping a sabre towards the convulsing beast. "The battle is not over yet!"

"Anna, everyone! Get back!" yelled Elsa. She pocketed the tiara and gathered power in her hands, firing a massive winter blast that was almost blinding to look at. It streaked down the battle-torn street, so powerfully cold it simultaneously condensed and froze all the water in the air, leaving a trail of shimmering diamond dust and rime in its wake. The attack collided headfirst into the monster...

...And bounced away from him with all the effectiveness of a rubber ball. The projectile instead splashed against a patch of road, exploding into a spectacular star-shaped bloom made of tree-sized icicles that, while impressive, was completely ineffective.

"Ugh!" Anna bemoaned in frustration. "How is this guy always finding ways to make everything we throw at him useless!?"

"Heh... Heheh! Heeheehahaha! GURAHAHAHAHA!"

A creature that once was a heavyset, grizzled giant stood before the fighters of Arendelle; he inexplicably grew even larger, doubling Marshmallow in height. His skin had transmuted, bearing a resemblance to the primitive armor that protected animals, or maybe to warriors who had fought long before the Middle Ages. The injuries sustained in fighting now manifested as fissures in the plating, especially surrounding the exposed eye that was now positively burning with the heat of a violet star. It stared down at the Snow Queen, crinkling when the Bergrisi gave her a malicious smile.

Elsa's stomach churned; even the monstrosity's face had turned into an uncanny mask, cracking heavily at the edges of his lips, eyes, and maw to allow movement. She couldn't even bear herself to look at the Bergrisi's crystal eye, out of fear it will burn into her memories forever.

"It's a little disappointing that I have resort to this..." the Bergrisi complained. "...But, I have time. I'll gladly carry this out if it's the last thing I'll do on this world!" The Bergrisi's splintered face grimaced once more, and he groveled with his head hung low, drawing attention to the two crystal prisms sitting in his back; they still shined in that particular shade of violet, assuming a hue so intense and bizarre it couldn't have been seen anywhere else the natural world. They vibrated uncontrollably with his shoulder blades... and then the Bergrisi let loose a blood-curdling scream, expelling the two outwards until they high above.

For a moment, Elsa and her friends merely stared in befuddlement; the pillars looked almost like tree stalks swaying in the wind, if trees were made of amethyst crystal. Soon though, confusion gave way to chilling revelation: The crystals twisted into jointed segments, the very ends expanding to resemble the Bergrisi's peculiar limbs and breaking apart into smaller links...

"Captain Himmel, ladies. I believe our enemy giant has produced two new arms." stated Mister He.

The monstrosity's freakish eyeball blinked once. Within it burned violet light, which contracted like an actual pupil once it centered in on the group.

Anna nodded in agreement. "That... is completely unfair."

"Fire, fire!" echoed the Captain of the Guard's voice.

_BOOM! BOOM!_

The din of heavy artillery rattled at Elsa's eardrums, but she couldn't care less. What the Bergrisi had to face against were used in offensives that sunk mighty ships, broke down entire fortress walls. Surely, not even his newly-formed armor could shelter the giant from gunpowder and solid iron... right?

The delay between the sound of the cannon fire and the actual impact, a distance that was literally one end of the street to the other, was less than negligible... so why didn't the Bergrisi fall the instant the weapons thundered like before? Why wasn't he knocked away, or even looked the slightest bit perturbed? Was he even hit?

Why was he just standing there, smiling?

"Elsa... look." muttered Anna, pointing a finger at the Bergrisi. Her older sister complied by peering through the haze, and couldn't help but regret just the smallest twinge of regret for learning what happened: Two circular discolorations, not even dark enough to register as "blackened", smoked faintly where the creature's pectorals should have been. Yes, he had actually been hit... but the cannonballs might as have tickled him, for all the reaction they drew out of him.

"Gurahahahaha! This power! This energy! I could hardly control myself at this rate!" guffawed the Bergrisi, curling all _twenty_ of his fingers. "You aren't the only who can bend the natural elements, Elsa!"

Before anyone could stop him, the monster slammed down with dual-handed hammer fists, one set atop the other so they struck the pavement simultaneously. Elsa instinctively closed here eyes and brace herself; she knew all too well about the Bergrisi's propensity for earthquakes.

But... strange. Absolutely nothing answered back. There wasn't even the expected rumble of impact.

"What are you doing there, guys!?" yelled Kristoff from afar. "Get away!"

Elsa blinked, and she took another look; where the Bergrisi struck developed a bulge, so small and subtle the Queen of Arendelle had mistook it as a fault of irregular terrain. As she continued watching though, the bulge started to rise slowly, inch by inch, creeping away from him little by little. Like a ripple, the disturbance fanned out from him while displacing paving stones and dirt, increasing in magnitude until its height wasn't so little, its speed no longer so slow.

A horrible understanding plopped itself at the bottom of Elsa's stomach, choking her as the oddity now loomed over her and her stunned friends with its shadow: The Bergrisi never meant to strike with an earthquake...

He was attacking with a wave. A giant, crashing wave made of heavy stone.

The havoc raging around her shredded at Elsa's eardrums directly into her brain, which all but pleaded just to finally end this hopeless farce and curl into a ball. The wave formed by the Bergrisi's will was just coming too fast, ripping lampposts out of the grounds, shattering glass, crunching wood, and, unbelievably, powderizing the very base foundations of neighboring residencies; structures made to withstand time and weather split apart at the seams and fell apart, folding in on themselves as if they were merely stacks of cards waiting for the slightest touch to crumple down to nothing. If they didn't even stand a chance, what use would Elsa's magic fare against the Bergrisi?

_No... _The Snow Queen gnashed her teeth together. _No!_ She didn't even waste a second warning the others, there just wasn't any time. The platinum-blonde inhaled sharply; her nervous heartbeats and just plain nerves hammered terribly against the inner walls of her skull. A pressure was building inside her chest like never before, making it increasingly hard for her to breathe. If Elsa had still practiced in shutting others away from her life, her immediate reaction would have been to run and hide where no one could be hurt by the outburst.

_Well, I'm not that Elsa anymore..._ she thought to herself, acting quickly. _I've learned too much. _

The Queen of Arendelle, surrounded by those she grew to care for and even love, fully absorbed herself into the storm inside instead, letting it occupy all her thoughts as power channeled down her arms: Her fear for her own safety, fear for the fates of her people, her desire to protect, her love, her hopes, anger, frustrations, everything that made her who she was today - hundreds of bluish motes gathered at her fingertips, congealing into a mass so coldly brilliant, snowflakes fell generously from the surrounding air.

Elsa arms shivered a little; she could barely contain the displaced power now radiating in her hands. The platinum-blonde aimed at the crashing mess eager to swallow everything, squeezed her eyes shut, and released her control with an mental effort of will.

Whatever happened next, Elsa wasn't too sure: Her vision turned a fiery pink behind her eyelids, and a rush of air - well, more like a semi-solid wall, really - slammed against her with the speed and brutality of one of the Bergrisi's charges, whipping her hair braid and cerulean cape back and flying parallel to the ground. Heavy cracks, the kind heard when the fjord freezes over and break into floes, joined in on the noise, while people besides her hollered to prevent from drowning out. Anna's voice in particular was a mixture of confusion and surprise. The nearby privateers, of course, sounded mostly terrified.

Finally, the storming winds settled down enough for Elsa to peek her eyes back open. She was immediately stricken with how startlingly _clear _the street has become, her powers having blown back all the haze, all the destruction, all the heavy clouds of ashes kicked upwards in the heat of battle, leaving behind the sterile whiteness of snow that fell gently to the ground. The entire town glittered in rimed specks of light, with snowflake patterns coating every solid surface. Even the terrible ruins stretching out to the distance, the remains of what was once part of Arendelle, attained a sort of haunting tranquility to them, like somber gravestones on a snowy day.

In the midst of it all stood the giant stone crest, bands of ice filling every spacing in the twisted earth, restricted into a complete standstill.

"Whoa..." Anna whispered. Her breaths came out as airy mist. "Well sis, I guess that's one way to stop a rock wave."

"Freezing the ground so I can't perform an attack?" rumbled _his _voice; The Bergrisi's flawed, mask-like head rose from the very top of the frosted wave. "An impressive display, I must admit. However..." Four sets of fingers stabbed through the rocky rise, tearing it apart in four parts as easily as if it was made of wet paper. "You must be delusional into thinking that it could stop me!"

"Guys, run!" shrieked Anna's voice from behind Elsa. No sooner did she finish though, when the Bergrisi lunged; everyone else was blown off their feet from the impact, flying uncontrollably in the air before hitting the ground - Elsa's hands stung as she scraped them against the rough road, pulling away skin and drawing little beads of dark blood, while Peter Himmel and Mister He from afar yelled harshly in expletives, on account of their sustained injuries.

Shaking herself away from a slight daze, Elsa became aware of the swinging braids and familiar hands pulling at her, attempting to drag her body out of the fight. Unfortunately, so did the Bergrisi, who reached towards the two with the most unsettlingly bloodthirsty grin etched into his face. "A-Anna! Look out!" she choked.

"Fire! Fire!"

Gunfire split the air once again, sending dozens of high-speed bullets flying towards the monster's way. The Bergrisi merely laughed in scorn as the lead balls whizzed by him or bounced off his armor; the soldiers may as well have been firing little pellets at a brick wall for all the good it did.

"What are they thinking!?" Elsa cried. "Don't they understand that shooting him is useless?"

"Keep firing!" commanded Captain Arvid. "Her Majesty's survival is our top priority!"

"Anna! Elsa!" shouted Kristoff. The mountain man leaped over fallen rubble in an attempt t reach the two.

"Humans..." the Bergrisi grumbled. "You really are such miserable little whelps." The giant rested a palm on the road, pushing downwards while his crystal arms and eye continued to glow in that same, unnaturally deep violet, until the coating of frost surrounding him snapped and the floor genuinely _melted _against his touch. When he raised back up, leaving behind a crater in the ground, he held... something in his hand, which Elsa would have taken for a dripping clump of thick mud... had it not been for the textures of the paving stones stretching out and distorting like smeared pastel paint.

"Look out!" shouted Arvid to the others, but it was far too late; the Bergrisi's crystal eye flashed as he flung the melted substance, causing it to split apart into smaller chunks that spread over a wide area: The larger droplets slammed into the soldiers, throwing them backwards onto the ground before _merging_ with the pavement. The victims were left partially buried under a literal blanket of solid rock. Other, smaller droplets hardened mid-flight, riddling through uniforms with the frightening efficiency of real bullets; fully-trained military men screamed in agony as they dropped in unbearable pain.

Kristoff ducked as he ran, narrowly avoiding a sizable stone blob aimed directly for his head. He flung his arms Anna and Elsa with his back towards the Bergrisi, hoisting them upwards before running down the street.

"You're not getting away from me this time, you two!" roared the Bergrisi. Once again he dipped his hands into the ground and dragged liquefied chunks out, fully prepared to throw yet another salvo of magically-altered earth.

Before the monstrosity could aim though, Marshmallow vaulted over a destroyed building with surprising agility and tackled him, forcing the Bergrisi to release his ammunition and let them splash harmlessly to the ground.

The amethyst giant smiled brightly down at the golem. "I was wondering where you were hiding, construct!" he laughed. His extraneous set of crystalline arms shot down and snapped themselves around Marshmallow's throat before lifting him off his feet. As the snowman struggled to no avail, the Bergrisi proceeded to hit him like a punching bag left and right, left and right, again and again in a cruel callback to a certain event just minutes ago. Finally, when Marshmallow's body was so deprived of snow it couldn't even hold itself together, the giant slammed him down to the ground.

"Marshmallow, no!" Elsa screamed. She extended a hand around Kristoff's body towards Marshmallow in a futile gesture, forced to watch as the Bergrisi howled towards the sky, a terrifying and vindictive war cry that seemed to travel endlessly over his fallen prey and through the streets of Arendelle; in the direction Kristoff fled towards, a faint but haunting sound of people wailing for their lives all at once answered back.

"Ah..." The Bergrisi cupped a hand to his ear, his voice filled to the brim with satisfaction. "_There they are."_

"He's found out where we've been keeping them!" Anna shouted over Kristoff's shoulder. "Guys, what should we do-"

A giant hand sped along the crumbled road, sweeping Kristoff right off his feet and dropping Elsa and Anna to the ground. Completely stunned, the mountain man could only lie back while the Bergrisi stared down at him, bathing the man in unnaturally violet light.

"One..." The Bergrisi kicked Kristoff to the side, sending his body tumbling towards a wall with a painful smack.

"Kristoff!" Anna and Elsa shouted simultaneously.

"Two..." The Bergrisi stomped once, causing the frosted ground beneath Anna to suddenly whip and kick her high into the air. The Princess only had an instance to flail her limbs helplessly before the Bergrisi slapped her away like a fly, shooting her body into the distance..

"Anna!" Elsa sobbed.

A great shadow blotted out Elsa's world, and she slowly turned her head with tears welling up in her eyes. "E-everyone..." she whimpered.

Right before the Bergrisi's grey fist blurred, his chipped lips peeled back, revealing every single moss-covered, tombstone teeth. "...Three."

Something wrapped itself around Elsa - the pain immediately blossoming across the platinum-blonde's chest was as swift as it was brutal, but the newcomer managed to absorb the worst of the blow as both were flown backwards by the Bergrisi's strike. Four whole heartbeats thumped in her ears before they finally collided with the ground, leading into a violent tumble that added even more fresh agonies across Elsa's body all the way until the two finally slowed to a stop.

"Ugh..." Elsa moaned. She felt sore all over, and the weight now lying on her was starting to crush her ribs. Carefully, she pushed the body away so it flopped next to her... revealing Captain Arvid's disheveled face. In his impression of a discarded doll, he looked far older than the Queen had ever seen him, with wisp-like grey hairs knocked askew, and tired wrinkles in his typically stiff features. What really struck Elsa though, was his skin; almost half his whole face was an ugly mottled black, and who knows how many more under that full-body uniform of his... The platinum-blonde scrambled to rest her ears against the Captain of the Guard's chest, quietly, desperately hoping to feel for any sign of life, anything to prove that she wasn't alone.

A faint heartbeat. A ragged breath here and there. Nothing else mattered.

"Gurahahahaha!" The world rattled as heavy footsteps left tremors in the ground. Elsa squeezed the Captain's still-warm hand for assurance, and turned around to an absolutely gleeful Bergrisi, whose face only grew even more delighted at the very sight of her. "Ha! So, someone decided to sacrifice his little life for you! What, so he wanted to be a 'hero'!?" The creature burst into another round of hysterics, covering his face looking away from Elsa as if he's ashamed she would judge him. "What an utterly wasteful and pointless exercise!"

"Stop-... Just... just stop it..." Elsa weakly protested.

"Hm!? Why should I, when you could have stopped this yourself!? YOU were the one who decided to fight back!" The giant, still full of mirth, flourished a glittering amethyst hand outwards to display the entire town. "Just look around, you pitiful, miserable simian!"

An icy, barbed dagger plunged itself deep into Elsa's chest, its chilling venom coursing through her veins as she fell down to her knees, what little color left in her cheeks completely drained away. All around her was nothing but desolation: Homes and shops that once beckoned to her warmly now looked so decrepit and forlorn. Some even disappeared completely, their remains covered bleakly in snow, and most, if not all, were beyond conceivable means of repair. Men and women alike littered the ground, some still trapped beneath the distorted earth and now too weak to call for help, at most making feeble mewls or waving their arms around. Others laid on the ground, unresponsive, and the rest just plain disappeared. At some point in the battle several fires ignited, creating dark plumes that darkened the already-grey skies. Worst of all, however, were the faint but very real screams of Arendelle's population, carried over by the wind from the Palace where they had taken refuge.

_...Because of me._

"That's right, take a good, long look at everything you've been working towards... I want this to be the last thing you ever see..." the Bergrisi purred. He popped his knuckles hungrily, balling one of his hands into a fist. "...You deserve it."

Elsa didn't say anything, do anything, or even respond; all she did was stare down at the ground, hardly paying attention to the hand of judgment ready to slam down on her. Why would she care, when there was literally nothing to fight for anymore? She felt at peace even, knowing she doesn't have to spend so much effort _caring_ anymore; her attention started to drift elsewhere, to the crackles of an active fire, the sparkling snowflakes dancing in the air, the gentle mist returning to the streets, footsteps hitting the floor...

...And then the giant grey mass of armor plating and muscle smashed into the ground right next to Elsa, just barely missing her by an inch. This time, Elsa didn't take any chances in doubting her survival; she blinked herself back into awareness and gasped: Standing before the kneeling platinum-blonde and wounded Captain, puffing her chest out at the giant despite quivering down to her boots, was Ingrid.

"Ho?" The Bergrisi scratched his head with an amethyst finger, regarding the girl in amused curiosity. "And what exactly are you supposed to be, miscreant? Another 'hero', perhaps?"

The florist held her hands out in front of her and swallowed. "I-I'm her friend!"

"Friend? Friend!? Gurahahahaha! " the Bergrisi cackled, shifting his gaze from the florist to the Queen. "Elsa, I must say that I am _very _disappointed in you! Even at the brink of defeat you have the nerve to drag innocent people into this fight, have them throw themselves up for the offering!" He returned to sneering hungrily at Ingrid, his exposed eyeball practically in blazes with savagery. "I guess I will just have to make an example of you!"

Before Elsa could warn the brunette, the Bergrisi snarled and threw a giant fist at her... leading to an absolutely amazing sight that had to be witnessed to be believed: Ingrid actually sprung _forward _to meet the creature's punch, taking advantage of her deceptive durability to clasp herself to his knuckles. However, rather than stopping right at there tomeet the full brunt of the attack head-on, the florist dug her heels into the pavement and twisted, yanking the Bergrisi's hand along before releasing it, letting it fly harmless away from his target.

This whole course of events, everything the punitive lady did, clocked at less than a single second.

The Bergrisi, who had lived through centuries of always coming out on top in a vicious world of predators, who had left every challenger broken in every sense of the word, who had enough power in his hands to level fortress walls, was naturally less than amused.

Ingrid hopped back to her defensive position, breathing heavily from the exertion required for her stunt. However, she was much too late - the Bergrisi had learned accordingly, this time attacking with all four of his hands to smash her into bits... but then a lustrous wisp of blue magic curled itself around the giant's thick neck, instantly solidifying into a cumbersome-looking collar. While this hardly slowed the Bergrisi down, it was just enough; the Snow Queen wrenched Ingrid backwards before two sets of scaled and crystalline bludgeons snapped her up.

"Eliz- El... You're okay!" Ingrid managed to squeak, calming her anxious heart with pats to the chest.

"You were supposed to find shelter!" Elsa seethed, keeping her eyes trained on the furious, struggling Bergrisi; movement of his neck and arms were restricted by the collar, which had expanded into a snowflake-shaped, exaggerated sculpture of an old-timey ruff. "This was never meant to be your fight!"

"I-I know that!" replied the florist. "But if I did... I would have to lose you!"

Even full of fear and disapproval for the florist, it was impossible for Elsa to not feel a surge of emotion upon hearing those words. It warmed her from the inside, bolstering her spirit until it was almost overwhelming.

_Might as well put it good use.._. Elsa told herself. The Snow Queen furrowed her dark brows in concentration, and then clenched her fist with a force of will; the expanded collar shined a blinding white, and suddenly four icicles rocketed out in opposing directions, plunging themselves deep into nearby concrete walls.

"GWAAH! What do you think you are doing, stringing me along like I'm cattle!?" the giant bellowed, locked into place by his reinforced manacles. He dug his fingers into the edge of his bonds and pulled, an act that rewarded him with the sound of ice snapping apart.

_You're running out of time, Elsa! Get going! Now! _

Elsa shrugged off her instincts screaming at her, descending onto her knees to examine just how could she carry Captain Arvid to safety. Before she could consider her options though, a pair of lithe arms lifted his heavy body with all the ease and care one might have given to an injured bird, prompting her to look up and into Ingrid's eager face. "Come on, let's go!" she chirped.

Elsa couldn't believe it. This girl had already saved her life twice, endangering herself over and over just for her sake, just because she still Elsa was worth the trouble. Even as the Bergrisi writhed in his shackles, she just continued to regard her with that frail, shaky, but strangely persistent smile. "But... but I lied to you." she blurted. I... I did terrible things because of my selfishness! It was my winter that ruined you! Shouldn't you deserve to be angry?"

Ingrid stared at her incredulously. "I know who you really are now, but... you were the first person in so long who decided to stay and listen to a blubbering mess like myself." She raised Captain Arvid's exhausted head a little higher, giving Elsa yet another view of his horribly bruised, broken face. "If you really were a terrible and selfish person from the start, he wouldn't have put so much trust in you! He wouldn't have taken the attack for you! That's w-why I'm... that's why I'm putting my trust in you anyway!"

The platinum-blonde was at a loss for words.

"Where do you think you two are going!?" boomed the monster from afar. He tore apart his shackles and started to run, using his lower knuckles to gain speed while reaching with his upper arms to resemble some demented, twisted bull rampaging down the streets. The Queen and the Florist quickly started to run, pumping their legs as fast as they can, but they couldn't simply compare to such a powerful beast. His steps grew heavier, his breaths grew louder...

"Go!" Suddenly, a single dark line whipped itself up into the air from several yards behind the two girls and man, linked from one side of the street to the other. The Bergrisi easily swept it up without a care in the world... unintentionally bringing alongside two massive barrels hooked to its ends that were ripped from their hidden positions, tearing rubble as they flew precariously threw the air. They smacked into the Bergrisi, smashing into bits of wood and the fish stored inside, leaving the giant absolutely drenched in old seawater.

"It stinks!" yelled the giant, flailing all four of his arms wildly in a complete loss of composure. "Disgusting! Vile! Loathsome and putrid! Get this mess off me!"

"Come on, big guy. You'll get used to it... eventually, anyway."

Elsa's eyes sprung wide open in shock. That was... _her _voice. Cautiously, she turned around with almost leery anticipation, terrified that perhaps her hopes would be dashed once more... only to see Anna's freckled, perpetually cheery face grinning at her.

"A-Anna?" she uttered weakly. Her blue eyes began to sting and blur, and she was in half a mind to just squeeze her sister right there, just to confirm that she wasn't simply a hallucination, or a ghost.

The redhead's grew even warmer, and she rested a hand on Elsa's shoulder with that usual confidence she'd always carried. "Elsa, don't just give up that quickly after all we've been through! Have a little faith in everyone!" she playfully scolded. "We weren't going to just leave you twisting in the wind without saying goodbye! We've worked too hard for it!"

"That's a nice little talk you've got there and all, but it doesn't bring us any closer to taking this guy down." a man contended.

Too overwhelmed for words, Elsa whipped her head to see a still-alive and intact Kristoff rushing to the group, his cautious eyes trained on the Bergrisi for any further signs of foul play.

"Yeah, I thought having water splashed onto him was going to work for sure..." Anna admitted, scratching her head. "It should've work like in one of those old stories..." The Princess' blue eyes took note of Elsa and Ingrid's blank stares, and she pouted defensively with her hands on her hips. "Hey, we were still working on trying to beat him, alright?"

A voice emerged from the mist, barging into everyone's trail of thought. "You can talk about it later! Just get over here, guys!"

Everyone turned their head in its direction, where a certain blacksmith beckoned for them into the skeletal remains of a home. Nodding to each other in agreement, they rushed inside, with Kristoff assisting the florist in carrying the unconscious soldier. Their usher peeked back out to search for the Bergrisi one last time, before finallyfacing the rest with a confident smile. "I don't think he can smell us anymore."

"Sigurd? What are you doing here?" Elsa asked.

"You're not the only one who want to get rid of our giant problem." The blacksmith beamed at her in earnest. "Besides, it would be disgusting of me to let my favorite assistant and her companions die, right?"

Elsa smiled a little, but then it fell apart; the entire town had become silent. Silent enough for _their _voices to rise once more. Chills went down her spine as she forced herself to listen to the cries of her kingdom, a wretched chorus that didn't just reach her ears...

"He's knows." whispered Kristoff.

"Don't remind me..." Elsa muttered. She rubbed at her temples to the time of the Bergrisi's steps.

_Think! Think about everything we have gone through! Magic just bounces off him, bullets and cannonballs tickle him at best, blades are laughable, and he's too strong to let himself be lanced by an icicle... _The platinum-blonde looked up at the sky, which was still that very same, oppressively grey color. _If we don't figure something out, Arendelle will be destroyed before the sun even comes down!_

_Sun... down... Sundown. The time they have left before they were _supposed _to confront the Spokelse. Sundown, the time they must meet with Helge._

_Helge... wait!_

Elsa's eyes widened in shock. An inspiration began to course through her, whispering promises that seemed more like grasps at straws, but she'll take her hopes where she can get them. Turning to the only person who would know Helge and the experiences of his kind intimately, she exclaimed, "Kristoff! Your family must have known how to beat giants, right?"

While Ingrid and Sigurd gawked as if they'd just witnessed the Snow Queen going mad, the ice harvester only blinked in confusion. "Wait, what?"

Anna's blue eyes were the next to widen. The revelation made the redhead so giddy, she bounced with excitement as she faced her boyfriend as well. "Kristoff, you lived with trolls, right? Surely they must have had an idea or two about dealing with monsters like that Bergrisi guy!"

"Wait, am I hearing this right?" Sigurd interrupted. "You. The Queen of Arendelle, talking about trolls... they were real all along!? I loved all those stories about them!" The blacksmith faced the ice harvester with excitement burning in his eyes. "And you got to _live _with them? Come on man, you _have _to tell me everything-..." his voice trailed off under Kristoff's unamused glare. "...After you tell us what we need to know, of course."

"Everyone, just relax!" Kristoff snapped, irritated. "Look, why are you asking this? By the time Bulda took me in, there were no longer any giants lurking around the Valley. I have about as much of a clue as the rest of you guys."

"But... they must have told you _something, _right?" Anna joined in, giving Kristoff a rather pathetic look.

The ice harvester sighed. "Bulda and the others have dealt with giants from time to time, but most of the time they were just preventive measures. Blocking out caves, checking for potential resting spots, that kind of stuff. Nobody besides maybe Pabbie have been told to have defeated one, and even the old man refuses to admit it."

"They block out caves?" Anna asked. "Did they ever actually, you know, cause a hole to cave in while the giant was still inside?"

"I guess that's a possibility." said Kristoff, scratching the back of his neck. "That doesn't change anything though. We can't stuff this thing back inside his resting spot, and last time I've checked, Arendelle didn't exactly grow itself a ceiling."

Elsa backed herself against a wall and stared up at a ceiling that no longer existed, courtesy of the Bergrisi. _Then... we truly have no more options left._ she thought in frustration. _We've lost. _

_Unless..._

The Snow Queen stood up on her feet with the energy one would expect from her younger sister. "Kristoff... you're a genius." she breathed.

"Heh, right." Kristoff responded with a wry smile. "What else did Sven try telling you?"

"No, I'm serious!" Elsa replied in earnest, pointing a finger at the grey skies up above. "If I can just... you know. Make... something..." In light of her friends' curious gazes, she allowed her voice to die off. It suddenly occurred to her how badly battered most looked: Kristoff looked like he was sporting a purple lump the size of an egg on his forehead, while Anna's upper lip was cut to the point of leaving behind a trail of dried blood. That wasn't even going into the Ingrid's disheveled state after only seconds of confrontation, or the blotchy mess that was Captain Arvid.

Slowly, the platinum-blonde let reality retake control of her conscience, and she turned her back against the others, arms holding herself tight. "...Nevermind. I-its... it's nothing." Just as Elsa was feeling the faint glimmer of hope promptly catch fire into a renewed vigor and enthusiasm, a simple foresight was enough to snuff it out just as fast, leaving her emptier inside than ever.

Anna stared at Elsa in stunned silence for a few seconds, and suddenly she began to scowl. Before anyone could stop her, the redhead leapt to her feet and she marched straight up to the Snow Queen, jutting her chin out in resolution. "Hey! You begin with something, you might as well finish it, Elsa!" she barked. "Spill it!"

"Anna, please-" Kristoff objected.

"No no! It's okay!" Elsa said, unclasping her arms. She looked into her sister's furious eyes, and breathed a long breath to compose herself. "I was... I was thinking about borrowing Kristoff's suggestion." The platinum-blonde didn't say anything else, partly out of hope that they would just write her off as nonsensical.

The ensuing silence as the words sunk in was not an encouraging sign. Already, she regretted opening her mouth. One second, two seconds... and yet not one person said anything yet. Elsa couldn't help but feel impatient. "W-well?"

"Well... _can _you do it?" Ingrid asked timidly.

"Huh?"

"Of course she can!" Anna interjected. "She's Elsa! She can drop a whole mountain if she wanted to!"

"Waitwaitwait, hold on-"

"It's still a bit of a long shot though..." Kristoff mulled, interrupting the platinum-blonde. "Even if we were to do something on a lesser scale, the giant could see what's going on right away."

"Oh, that can be easily fixed!" Sigurd commented. "We just need to give this guy some targets, buy some time! If we can bait him long enough, we can finally strike-"

"Enough!" shouted Elsa, cutting off the group's conversation short with a swipe of her hand. "No one is going to drop anything, no one is going to be bait! I mean, look at all of you!"

Anna, Kristoff, Ingrid, and Sigurd glanced at each other.

"We're only five people! It's just us against an ancient all-powerful monster who just laughs every time we try fighting back!" Elsa clutched at her head, feeling her crippling anguish beginning to catch up to her: How Anna and Kristoff nearly died before her eyes, how even someone like Marshmallow was effortlessly torn to shreds, how all of her subordinates and friends were knocked down one by one like toys... Her chest was beginning to hurt...

Ingrid and Sigurd sputtered out loud; ice was beginning to pool out all over the floor from beneath the Queen's feet, who was now hyperventilating to an alarming degree.

"This is completely insane! We're not soldiers... or-or experienced fighters!" Elsa continued rambling. "How could we possibly compare-"

Anna abruptly wrapped her arms around Elsa, focusing all her assurance into this one hug. The platinum-blonde didn't finish her sentence or struggle, only drinking in the Princess' presence, her gentle touch instinctively; gradually, she emptied herself with Anna's support, feeling her troubled thoughts soothed by the welcome heat of a living being, her anxieties replaced by all the comfort and security a loving family could provide. Matching its creator's relaxing state, the ice surrounding the two dissipated, fading away into the wind.

"A-... Anna?" Elsa mumbled.

"It's alright, sis. Just look at me."

The weight wrapped around Elsa's body resided, allowing the platinum-blonde to look into her sister's warm, loving eyes.

"Maybe it's true that we're all that's left between the giant and the entire kingdom. Maybe it's true that what we're about to do is completely insane." To the Queen's surprise, her baby sister broke into a wide grin. "But you know what? That only means we have to hit him with everything we have!" she exclaimed, punching the air. "I say the crazier, the better!"

Elsa blinked. Seeking advice, she flicked her eyes to the ice harvester who'd been standing nearby.

"I can't believe I'm saying this... but Anna's right. Everyone's going to have to pitch in, or else none of this can possibly work."

"Don't worry, Queen Elsa!" declared Sigurd. "You can count on us!"

"We'll try not to die... I think." Ingrid added.

"Trust in us, Elsa!"

"Everyone..." Elsa closed her eyes and took in a long, calming breath. In hindsight, she felt a little silly for breaking down at this point and time: She already made a promise to herself to trust in others, to rely more on her friends. They took her by surprise by proving themselves once, and there's no doubt they can easily replicate their success if she gave them the chance. If this is going to ever work, she'll need every helping hand she can get. "Just... please stay alive!"

All the others beamed. "Right!"

* * *

><p>With both his sets of normal and crystalline fingers curling hungrily, the Bergrisi marched with confident deliberation towards where he'd heard that absolutely wondrous sound of humans begging for their lives. No doubt they were groveling on all fours like the muck they've always been, waiting with bated breath as one by one they would be picked off. The giant would've been lying if he said the thought didn't give him great pleasure, but that matters not: His goal, his harvest, is almost at hand. He must act quickly.<p>

It's not nearly as entertaining if they have already fell to slumber.

"Hey you, I'm over here!"

_Ah, that little mouse._ The Bergrisi grinned, but ignored her voice and continued marching. The mist ahead of him parted to reveal a rather grand wall of stone on the other side of a wide opening, one that stretched across the boundaries of the fjord. From behind, the concentrated stench of simians emanating was exceptionally grimy.

The redhead bristled at the monster walking away, and she cupped her hands to her mouth before shouting, "Hey, you big dummy! Why don't you turn around and finish what you started?"

The ice harvester standing by Anna's side raised an eyebrow. "Smooth, Anna. That is a _great_ way to keep yourself alive." Twisting his neck to the back, he raised his voice and shouted: "Elsa! Do it now!"

Two lances that could have passed for rocket flares whisked above the companions' heads, briefly painting the battle-scarred town in wintery blue light. One burst against the floor earlier than the other, missing the Bergrisi entirely. Fortunately, the other made contact with the house directly to the monster's right side, erupting into a frozen star that skewered the air in every facet with frightening speed, covering him from the neck down.

Elsa relaxed. So far, everything was going to plan... It's about time she makes this up to everyone...

The Snow Queen of Arendelle rubbed at her hands in preparation, and took a single step.

Back at the other side of the street, the giant simply smirked; not even the Snow Queen's magic could harm him now. She simply wasn't worth the effort anymore.

No sooner had this thought past the brute's mind though, when his pleased expression reversed into a scowl: True, the nest of icicles did little against his enhanced skin. Instead, it filled every space the Bergrisi couldn't occupy, with icicles that slipped under and around his limbs, locked around his joints, caging his chest and legs, essentially snaring his body into the next best thing to a solid block of ice. Forced to rely on the contraction of his muscles alone, he was hardly prepared for the lines of thick, steel chains coiling themselves around his neck.

"Wha-... What is this nonsense, humans!?" The vein on the Bergrisi's bald head was practically ballooning now, and he wrenched himself free from his icy restraints to confront the two yanking on his tethers. Steam vented from his chipped nostrils, and his exposed amethyst eyeball displayed equal measures of fury and indignation. He swiped a hand to knock Kristoff and Anna away-

-Only for his backhand to abruptly veer into the ground, missing the two humans entirely. The Bergrisi shook his head in disbelief, and practically grinded his tombstone teeth audibly once the dust cleared; standing between him and his would-be victims was a young woman, the same girl who'd stalled his execution only minutes before. She stared up at him with panic threatening to overwhelm her, but remained standing with her hands out defensively. She attempted flash an audacious grin like the other two had done, but it came off as awkward and lopsided.

"Whoa, you did it again! Seriously, how'd you do that?" the redhead asked, intrigued.

"Anna, stay focused." Kristoff lightly chided. "We can talk lat- look out!"

The giant surged forward with all four of arms reared for the attack, requiring Kristoff to let go of the chains and snatch Ingrid and Anna away. Barely managing to avoid the Bergrisi's four-way crunch, the ice harvester once again turned tail and ran, taking care to hop over a thin trail of snow.

The Bergrisi sprung after them, kicking gouges into the road pavement as he drew closer. "Gurahahahaha! What happened to your so-called bravery, humans!? Wasn't this the match you desired-"

"Now!" shouted Anna.

"Alright!" answered Sigurd: A net woven in heavy chains burst from the line of snow right in front of the Bergrisi. He smashed headlong into it, but easily treated the entanglement like a flimsy cobweb with hardly a beat of delay.

Fortunately for the human combatants, that wasn't the obstacle's original purpose anyway; they had already predicted not even the strongest bindings can stand against the Bergrisi's great bulk, especially once he builds momentum to make himself a truly terrifying opponent. Besides, Sigurd was only able to scrounge up enough iron links from the docks.

Which was why Ingrid had to join Kristoff and Anna later as bait.

By the time the Bergrisi realized something was amiss, he'd already fallen to the team's plans; tied on each end of the net was a ship anchor. They whipped around the Bergrisi's head, orbiting until they smashed into him in a two-way collision. The impact was so devastating, his mask-like features spat shards of stone to reveal the insides of his gruesome cheekbones. To add insult to injury, Anna and Kristoff chose this moment to dive in and grasp the monster's leash once more, with Ingrid prodigal strength this time contributing to the effort. The Bergrisi now had nowhere to go.

"Arrogant!" he screamed, pulling at his chained neck with a hand. "Arrogant, arrogant, arrogant! Why can't you all just lay down and acknowledge this foolery!?"

A massive fist made of ice and snow stuffed itself into the Bergrisi's wide-open mouth, and then he was subjected to several mighty punches to the gut. The behemoth of a snow golem, fully revitalized, stared hard into the giant's shocked eyes with the most sullen of expressions. "Too loud..." Marshmallow muttered.

"Ha! I see that persistence remains to be your only talent as usual, construct!" The monster's chest began to balloon at the pectorals, leading to rather strange phenomenon: The prominent fissure on his sternum began exacerbate even further, emitting rays of amethyst purple light from beneath his plated skin while spewing gas like a volcanic vent. He then whipped Marshmallow with his shoulder, using his larger size to his advantage, and sent the snow golem staggering backwards.

"Gurahahahaha!" The Bergris straightened his fingers into a knifehand, and swung it in an overhand chop; Marshmallow's entire face caved in on itself. The giant seized the moment to shove the stunned snowman aside, and made a grab for the humans clinging to his tethers.

Kristoff was the only one to have seen the giant coming. There wasn't even enough time to give a warning; he shoved the Princess and the florist out of the way, allowing himself be seized around the legs by the malicious monster.

Anna's body bounced as she hit the road, only coming to a stop once she slammed head-first into a surprisingly hard lump of snow. "Owowowow..." she moaned, wiping the powder out of her face. She gingerly nursed a sore spot, and winced from the simple touch alone. "Ah geez, that's gonna leave a mark."

"Mrph..."

The deep, rumbling groan prompted the redhead to shift her gaze to the back, causing her to gasp in surprise: rolling his head sluggishly was a face had certainly seen better days: His visage was twisted, malformed, and scrunched up, bearing the striking resemblance to a crumpled ball of paper. Still, even that did little to misidentify the rest of his body. "Marshmallow!"

"Gurahahahaha! Now isn't this a familiar situation?" taunted the Bergrisi; he held Kristoff tightly in his grip, letting the mountain man's upper body dangle upside-down as helplessly as a partially-filled sack of carrots. "It'd be too gauche if I just repeated what I did with your chest. How about we try the integrity of your legs instead..."

Anna's heart plunged down to the bottom of her stomach, and her eyes started moving from side to side, scanning the worn town for something, anything to help her stand back up. She wasn't going to just wait and leave Kristoff up to chance, even though her legs and arms felt like gelatin - it already cost too much effort for her just to sit back up.

_Think... think think think! _Anna thought to herself, rubbing her forehead with the heel of her hand. Her eyes went back to the downed snowman. He didn't pay any attention to the redhead, or perhaps he couldn't; Marshmallow's face showed little to no sign of regenerating. Even a massive golem like him would be useless if blinded. Unless...

"Marshmallow, wake up!" alerted the redhead.

The snow golem tried to stare obliquely at Anna, but only managed to face a little too far to her right. "...Hrm?"

The Princess clawed her way to Marshmallow's hands and tugged on his ice fingers. "I know you can't see anything right now, but we have to save Kristoff!" A jolt of inspiration struck her mind, and she shook the golem even harder. "Quick, put me onto your back!"

Marshmallow quizzically tilted his head at her.

"Look, I don't care how! Just-... just throw me up or something! Now's not the time to worry about rudeness or- whoa!"

The hand she'd rested against wrapped its fingers around her before she could finish her sentence, and suddenly she was no longer against densely-packed snow, but flying so high into the air that she could have touched the edge of a rooftop with an elbow, if she was just a little less desperate, and a lot less focused. As her ascent slowed, she closed her eyes to brace for the impact... only to find herself resting directly on top of Marshmallow's head.

"Grah!"

"Oops! I'm so, so sorry." Anna apologized, patting the golem's squashed face gently. She wriggled her body, allowing herself to slide onto a crook that would have served as the golem's neck before hugging it tightly. "...Thanks for listening to me."

The blinded snowman nodded. "Where are they?"

The little lady quickly caught the silhouette of the four-armed monstrosity on the other end of the street, still taunting the struggling ice harvester with more enthusiasm than she's ever saw him. What he said was rendered indecipherable by the ruined structures echoing his graveled, thunderous voice, but they were hateful words, taunts made to belittle his victim down to their very essence.

She needed to act fast.

"Okay, um... just go straight ahead!" Anna instructed, digging her hands into the nape of Marshmallow's neck. "Right where your head's facing- nonono, that's a little too far to the right. Just a little more... got it! Now, go!"

The first step was probably hardest: the moment Marshmallow cautiously placed one foot forward, Anna was already shaken loose from her position, forcing her to dig her toes as deep as she could into the snowman's back to avoid falling.

"Anna?"

"I'm okay! It's fine, just keep going!" Anna seethed through clenched teeth. Somehow, the Princess managed to secure herself between some of Marshmallow's spines, whose spacing in between seemed to have been widened to accommodate her. As the golem moved faster and faster, Anna craned her neck over his shoulder to get a good view of the Bergrisi.

This didn't escape the notice of the six-limbed amethyst beast, who paused his tirade to sneer at the rapidly approaching golem. "Why, isn't it the construct?" he bellowed. The giant shot a hand forward, snagging the ice behemoth around the throat. "Come now, I knew you were lowly, but to let a human crawl freely onto your back?" he purred.

"Hey! You leave him alone!" barked Anna. "Keep going, Marshmallow. We're almost there!"

"Gurahahahaha! That is just too precious!" The Bergrisi assumed a sideways stance, with the hand holding Kristoff positioned away from the incoming golem, all but ready to intercept him with the strength of his multiple arms. " Just try me, you insignificant lowlifes! I will happily ground you into dust once again-"

An iron chain looped itself around one of the Bergrisi's forearms into an improvised cuff, pulling it a fair distance away from its original position. Following its taut down to its source, the monster's violet eye fell upon the only two people left to stand against him. Sweat rolled down Ingrid and Sigrid's forehead as they pulled with all their weight, two humans struggling against one amoral beast.

"Bah, can't you all see that it's all useless!?" The Bergrisi tore the chain away from the two humans and began whipping at them; the two dove away, narrowly dodging slashes that split stone. Without even breaking form and possibly leaving himself open for Marshmallow, the monster continued to flail at the fleeing combatants, punctuating every swing with a vicious snarl. "Useless, useless, useless, useless!"

The abomination raised his wrapped arm high in preparation for another swing... but just as he brought the chain down, Ingrid chose to burst out of hiding, carrying a long metal cylinder that that was nearly her own size. She carried it all the way up to the Bergrisi's front and raised it above her head, letting out a soft gasp as she did so; the iron links slapped against the support and kept on rolling. Locking itself tight, the chain now forced the two to engage in a tug of war.

"The same trick!" complained the Bergrisi. "You vermin are tenacious to the point of inanity! Even this one won't stop squirming!" The giant glared at the dangling ice harvester, who indeed scrabbled at the tremendous fingers slowly crushing his legs. "Why stall the inevitable!?"

Ingrid glanced at Kristoff fearfully, but swallowed as she resolved herself to stare the Bergrisi into his gruesome violet eye. "Well, um..." she squeaked. "That's kind of the thing."

"Hah?"

"We've been stalling you."

Before the Bergrisi could process exactly what the florist had been mumbling about, chains and ropes sprouted from behind crevices and obstructions all around him, tangling his body, his feet, neck, mouth, and even all four of his muscular arms into a gargantuan bundle of bindings.

"Wha-... hargle!" the Bergrisi gagged. The thick chords pulling his mouth and cheeks back made his voice come out somewhat garbled. "W-What is this!? I demand to know!"

"Tsk, tsk. You really shouldn't go around disregarding human tenacity..." A leather-clad man with sharp, intelligent eyes stepped into view from behind a broken wall. "Don't you remember all of these lovely folks, you cheap-grade supersized moron?" Flashing the stunned Bergrisi the cheekiest of smiles, Peter Himmel tugged on his end of the rope. Immediately, others followed suit behind him in droves, men and women dressed in tattered military outfits who nevertheless possessed eyes that shone with determination and fighting spirit. They all surrounded the giant in a wide ring, each carrying an end of rope or chain that they used to rein the monster in place.

"That man in your hand was the one who came up with the idea." Sigurd brightly revealed; he was the last of the men to emerge out of hiding. "We knew we couldn't buy enough time for anything if it was just four against you, so Kristoff told me to get as many soldiers out of your traps as I could, while he and the others distracted you!"

The Bergrisi gave everyone surrounding him a cold glower... and then he sneered. "So what?" He tossed Kristoff into the air and snatched him once more, securing a grip on the ice harvester's torso. "I'll just blow everyone to bits, and your friend along with you!" The monster pulled the hand back to himself, slowly and deliberately as if he was cocking a gun backwards...

Peter Himmel's eyes widened, and he shouted to the others in panic, "Stop him! Pull harder! He's going to do that shockwave again!"

"Gurahahahaha! It's already too late for you, simians! Say goodbye-"

"Looks like you forgot about us, Mister Bergrisi!" A pair of massive hands made of ice and snow squeezed the Bergrisi's forearm tightly, just millimeters before that telltale "click" could sound his devastating attack. Under Anna's direction, Marshmallow grunted, using his claws to pry the beast's fingers open wide enough for her to pull Kristoff out. When the Bergrisi tried to intervene, the humans on the ground pulled on his arms and stretched them out, preventing him from getting any closer.

"Gah, my legs!" Kristoff groaned, freed of his torment. "With what this guy did, they might as well be broken!"

Anna merely smiled at him, a sentiment which the mountain man endeavored to return. Together, the two rolled off Marshmallow's arm, letting themselves be caught by Ingrid and He Xiongqiang waiting below. As they fell, the golem let out a thunderous roar and swung a clothesline at the Bergrisi, landing the attack right in the neck.

"Gwuh!" garbled the giant, reeling backwards.

"He's falling!" Sigurd shouted. "Get him on his back!"

All the soldiers and privateers answered back with a collective "Heave!", a shout so immense it rattled windows and frames loose, rolling through the streets for seconds without dropping even one iota in volume. Before the Bergrisi could reestablish his balance, they pulled in tandem, - finally, the combined efforts of everyone involved and Marshmallow finally toppled the great beast.

When he fell, it wasn't with just a simple thud: the Bergrisi's arm were outstretched, leaving very little to buffer his descent. When he made contact with the floor, including his increased mass and the required strength to lift him off his toes, the resulting impact was enough to break whatever was left of the surrounding structures into mere piles of broken bricks and wood, enough to kick dust and rocks upwards in a thick layer, nearly drowning the combatants in debris. That wasn't mentioning the noise of such an event, which rivaled the spirited cry of the people in concert several times over, even causing those close enough to temporarily lose their sense of hearing.

"No! No no no no!" the Bergrisi screamed. "Unhand me, vermin! Do you know what you are playing at here-... here..." His amethyst eye blinked twice in rapid succession, and he squinted through the dust and grey mist up to the sky. "A... hexagon?"

Pillars made of what seemed like thick glass descended from the sky like fantastic rain, digging themselves deep into pavement and causing many soldiers to hop away in alarm. They surrounded the Bergrisi's body in six points, forming a hexagon that actually translated with the one floating in the sky.

Anna chuckled. "It's my big sister!"

"What!?" The Bergrisi fought against the bindings that kept him tied and splayed on the floor, but even his phenomenal stature did nothing to loosen his coils. "The whole time-... it was a ruse!?"

Hundreds of feet in the air, surpassing the height of the fjord walls surrounding the kingdom, Elsa dug her borrowed shoes into the frosted platform to brace against the high winds. While the stage was quite the impressive work from an outsider's perspective, with its glass-like transparency and boasting an area larger than some room floors, _getting_ here was the real challenge. Elsa couldn't simply craft a stairway to the heavens for the same reason tall buildings are difficult to construct; the thing would have fallen apart before she could get very far off the ground. Even now, Elsa swore the hexagonal platform had been swaying from side to side under her feet until she planted those columns.

Hence the Snow Queen's need for a diversion. Despite Elsa's initial reluctance, especially since she knew _her_ part of the plan was a mere pittance compared to what the others must be experiencing at the moment, Anna and the others had volunteered themselves to buy her time. Everything they had been working towards - the baiting, the binding, the risks taken, the strategizing, the repeated brushes with near death - that was all so the Bergrisi would keep his attention where the others are, and not up above. Otherwise, the giant would have smashed the supports and render the effort worthless.

"Don't let go of those ropes now!"

"Go Elsa!"

"Finish him off, Your Majesty!"

"Kick his butt, sis!"

Thanks to the intense winds blowing her hair and cape back, the shouts were faint by the time they Elsa's ears. Even so, she reflexively ran to the edge of the platform and looked down to investigate. There they were, hordes of people ringing around the giant grey body like ants carrying dark threads. She could even see hints of their faces, faces whose battered state obscured neither their energy nor excitement. Among them, she could even see a little redhead, waving her arms, a blond man cupping his mouth towards the sky.

The Snow Queen's vision blurred, but she didn't pause to breathe. She wasn't going to let them down.

With a flip of her cape, Elsa ran back to the epicenter of the hexagonal platform and stomped twice: Power surged down her foot and pulsed outwards on the ice. Like a single ripple of light disturbing the surface of a pool, it spread and ran down the stage's side, and then collided into a single point on the other side of where her soles laid. The platform shuddered as if it was alive, and a small needle, no longer than Elsa's pinky, emerged from the center.

Now, if the planned icicle had just stopped there, than it would have been considered too pathetic by anyone's standards. Instead, the tip began to reach farther, stretching and telescoping as the crystalline base peeled away increasingly larger tier upon tier, a fashion reminiscent of a multilayered wedding cake; by the time the end product stopped growing, it wasn't so much a giant stalactite as it was an architectural wonder, an articulate palace spire that was flipped upside-down.

On the _second_ stomp, the crisp snap of ice breaking loose sounded from all six pillar points and the staircase: the prismatic iceberg was now engaging in freefall. It slid hundreds of feet through the six columns that served as its railing system, descending on the Bergrisi strapped to the center.

"No! No!" He thrashed and screamed against his bindings of course, all the while foaming at the mouth in denial. He even managed to break some of the ropes holding him apart.

By then, it was already too late.

Within just a few seconds, the tip had slipped between the cracked plates on his sternum. Like a driven wedge, the iceberg split the Bergrisi's skin apart as it sank deeper into his flesh, exposing the amethyst anatomy to the open air. The force of its impact was surprisingly graceful, digging into its victim with the efficiency of an expert diver minimally breaking the water's surface, but its colossal weight carried a force that nevertheless swamped the surrounding area in a mixture of upturned dust and snow, briefly blotting out nearly everyone's vision.

The Bergrisi no longer screamed.

Anna, who was still sheltered in Mister He's arms while the smog blasted everyone else, was the first to recover. Rubbing at her blue eyes, she gasped at the bizarre tableau on display in front of her: the imposing hexagonal spire looked even larger up close, and somehow remained standing and intact. Piles of pale powder laid all around, sprinkled with shards of ice and brick chunks. At the very bottom of the site, the many limbs of a grey, giant figure splayed listlessly onto the pavement, the amethyst exposed no longer glowing so intensely.

...The rest of the Bergrisi's body was simply gone. Vanished, possibly buried several yards under the ground.

"Elsa..." Anna suddenly mumbled. Her eyes widened, and she pushed herself away from Mister He to stand on her own two feet. "Elsa!"

"...Guys?..." A large snow pile not too many feet away from the impact site coughed, sending little puffs of snow into the air.

Anna choked out of surprise, and ran so hard she stumbled at the last second and landed on the pile with her knees, eliciting a cry of pain from within.

"Oh! Sorry, sorry! Please forgive me, Elsa! I am so, so sorry..." Anna profusely apologized, pawing away at the snow until she could feel something distinctly soft, if not necessarily warm. With a few brushes of her finger, her older sister's tired face came into view in the dull lighting. The redhead was so overjoyed by the sight, she dug her hands into the snow and wrapped them around Elsa's neck, pressing her lips directly onto the Queen's pale forehead. "Your alright! Everyone! She's okay!"

The entire crowd burst into relieved cheers. "Your Majesty!"

You did it, Queen Elsa!"

"Excellent show, Ellie! Can hardly have done it better myself!"

"Puh, puh! Phtphtphhht- blech." Elsa sputtered, spitting snow out of her mouth as she squirmed half her body free. She made an effort to smile at everyone, who all gathered around to confirm the platinum-blonde's safety for themselves.

"Well. That was... something." Kristoff commented, letting himself be gently placed down by Ingrid. He observed the two sisters for a moment, his exhausted grin turning into a smirk. "You both look like a mess. Especially you, Elsa."

"Why don't you try falling down a long distance?" Elsa asked.

Kristoff shot a knowing glance at Anna, who nervously chuckled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well. Uh... hey, let me help you up!" With the assistance of Mister He, she pulled the rest of Elsa free from the snow, and let the platinum-blonde lean against her for support. Together, they limped towards what was left of the Bergrisi, the creature who gave them so much grief this whole time. What was left of him made no sign of noticing the sisters.

"So, Mister Bergrisi..." Elsa quietly said. "Looks like we've won."

A film slid over the giant's crystal eye as the giant blinked. "Then don't look at me with such pity in your eyes, human."

Everyone jumped back. Some rude expletives were exclaimed in alarm while Anna, not possessing nearly as colorful a vocabulary, settled with hissing at the creature. Ingrid in particular came close to fainting upon realizing one glob was bubbling away on her jacket.

"How are you still talking!?" exclaimed Sigurd.

"All of that, and you're _still _alive!?" Captain Himmel incredulously shouted, squeezing the handle of his cutlass.

"Yeah, you still want more? Put 'em, then!" Anna challenged.

"Hah... hah... As if I'm interested in a fight anymore... I don't have much time here left..." the Bergrisi groaned.

Anna's face burned red with anger. "You horrible excuse of a... a thing! Do you know just how much damage you caused!? You didn't fix anything, and you're already going away-"

"-As if I cared, little mouse. What use am I to you now anyway?" The creature's face pulled into a grimace, and he coughed ferociously, spraying fluids that boiled away upon contact with the open air. One sizable glob splashed onto Ingrid's dress before bubbling away, threatening the girl to faint. "Unfinished business aside, I'll gladly accept this over Subjugation..."

"Wait, 'unfinished business'..." The Queen of Arendelle dropped down on knee and leaned closer to the monster, drawing a hush of voices among the crowd. She could feel the rest of them slowly closing in, eager to listen to the conversation. "You tried to destroy my hometown, Mister Bergrisi. You've deliberately attempted to kill everyone under my rule. Thanks to you, I'm in hardly in any shape for anything the Spokelse may throw at us-"

The Bergrisi engaged in yet another violent fit of coughs. "Gurahahahaha... Oh, you ignorant human... you think you had a shimmer of hope in the first place?"

Elsa's dark brows furrowed closer together. "W-what do you mean?"

"Didn't it ever occur to you how strange this day had been? How cold the air was, how thick the clouds and the sky and the mist in ground are?" The edges of the Bergrisi's mouth shivered, and his grin vanished in the blink of an eye. "What other foolish runt could have done it?"

At first, the platinum-blonde tilted her head out of confusion, wondering exactly what could the giant be rambling about in his death throes. At the edge of her peripheral vision, the grey, soupy mist that had pervaded Arendelle for most of the day was beginning to return. Pretty much everyone, herself included, had always passed off the strange weather as a harmless, if albeit odd, anomaly.

The Bergrisi's amethyst eyeball stared levelly at her. "You didn't think _I _caused those people to scream, did you?"

And then it hit Elsa. "No..." A prickling sensation trickled down the platinum blonde's spine, and an icy well pooled at the bottom of her stomach. "No, no no no! I-it has to be a mistake!"

Next to her, her younger sister sputtered, "Wait, what!? He's already here?"

"Not yet..." The Bergrisi leaned his head back tiredly. "He's closer than you humans have estimated though, from the look on your faces." An unmistakable sound of crumbling rock met Elsa's ears, prompting her to scrutinize him closer; patches of the giant's skin were bleaching and spreading like fungal growths.

"Hold on!" rose Kristoff's voice; he had been listening intently on the conversation as well, drawing puzzled looks from those around him. "Helge told me he should have been locked up in that other world!"

The Bergrisi eyed the mountain man with the air of an elder regarding an especially dim child. "So he's been barred in Helheim. So he's been rendered vulnerable, so he's been thrown out the door and closed away... Look around you, human, there's no denying it. Do you still believe the rules of the spirit wouldn't allow him to whisper beyond the threshold?"

The ice harvester attempted to scowl at the creature, but the expression was marred by a wave of confliction.

"Hmph. You should be glad that foolish child is human, more human than he will ever admit. More so than any of you realize..."

"Bu- but wait!" Anna said hurriedly. "Why are you tell us all of this? Why now?"

The giant didn't say anything.

"...It's revenge, isn't it?" Elsa stated, coming to an understanding. "It's that grudge you've been talking about when we first met. You still held him accountable for insulting you."

"Gurahahahaha... what else can I say? Unfinished business. I owe that much to you..." The bleaching had crawled up to his neck now, causing him to choke and gasp for breath. Even so, no one can say otherwise that the monster seemed to be sincerely at peace with himself: A warm, genuine smile slowly widened on the Bergrisi's face. The corners of his lips didn't even stretch across his entire face, as it was the first one unmarred by his inhuman desire for violence and blood.

"H-hey, wait! We still have so many questions!" Elsa protested. "You can't go just yet!"

"Farewell, humans... construct... For what it is worth..." the Bergrisi rumbled, "I... am happy to have met all of you." The bleaching was almost complete. The light in his crystal eye and open wounds dimmed. The muscles on the creature's face relaxed, and his monstrous visage melted away, revealing wrinkles and care lines that never existed before. No longer did he look like a monster from the mountains. Now, he was simply a grizzled, scarred, old giant of a man lying on his back, counting down his last seconds.

"Gurahahahaha..." The Bergrisi tried sucking in one more breath. "Today... I... truly had fun..."

And then he stopped moving.

All was silent once more.

No one, not the liveliest members in the audience, not the giant snow behemoth standing aside, not even all of the town itself, made a sound.

Anna glanced at Elsa, and then to Kristoff. "So... now what?"

The ice harvester shook his head. "We must get to Helge immediately. If we're lucky, we may still have time before-..." Kristoff froze. His brown eyes glazed over, and he collapsed onto the pavement with a heavy thud.

"Kristoff!" Anna screamed. She ran to his side, shoving people away who had gathered around him in concern. Placing a hand on the mountain man's broad chest, her eyes widened in complete horror. "He's so cold!"

"What!? How-" Elsa shouted, but then a soldier not too far away stumbled to the floor without warning. And then another man fell. And another. People in the crowd started to drop like flies while others shouted the same diagnosis: Cold bodies, stopped bodies, a complete lack of movement. The voices surrounded Elsa as she looked left and right desperately, with not a single idea on how to help them. _Could it be my powers?_ she thought in the rising chaos. _What sort of magic is this? What else was the Bergrisi implying? Why does this all feel so familiar? There are so many questions I could have asked-_

Elsa's body jolted. A black, deathly chill starting from her heart oozed its way through the rest of her body. It felt poisonous, malicious, and just plain _wrong_. She couldn't even begin to describe how nauseous these sensations were making her. The platinum-blonde gagged and choked, shivering violently from just how _freezing _it was.

"Your Majesty! What's happening to your chest!?" somebody yelled.

_Chest...? _The Snow Queen looked down at her sternum; a small, frosted circle had appeared right above her bosom. Ice and frost slowly gathered around the immediate area and stacked on top of one another, forming a thin tower a couple of feet long and patterned with geometric fractals. With some imagination, this... thing protruding from her chest mirrored a demented flagpole, an elongated stake through the heart...

...Or a spear.

The last thing Elsa saw was the look of horror spreading on the sea of faces surrounding her. Her blue eyes rolled backwards, and she tumbled to the ground.

* * *

><p>End of Day Two<p>

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><p><strong>Elsa the Snow Queen, Queen of Arendelle: Out of Function<strong>

****[Unknown] the Bergrisi: Out of Function****

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><p><strong>Questions? Thoughts? Theories? You can either share them with me, post them as a review below, or go to my Tumblr and talk there. I like getting feedback. Now would you kindly excuse me, I have to go nurse a headache...<strong>

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen_. **


	24. Ch 24: The Good Girl

**I'm not dead yet.**

**This chapter... it's a weird one, guys. I've always wanted to do one like this, and the opportunity finally showed up. Now, whether or not this is the "good" kind of weird or the "hideous" kind of weird is all up to you. So grab yourself a seat, sift through that basket of candy you were supposed to give to kids, and enjoy.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 24<span>

The Good Girl

* * *

><p>"Gah!" Anna sucked in a sharp breath; her entire arm was positively alight with searing pain, and it took all of her willpower not to just scream loud enough to rattle the entire Palace. "Ow! Owowowow..."<p>

A pair of rounded, wire-framed spectacles flashed before the Princess' eyes. The doctor sniffed dispassionately through his hawkish nose, irritated that Anna was disrupting his work, and continued applying alcohol to her skin. "With all due respect, Your Highness, you've been at this for almost ten minutes now. Would you _please_ give it a rest?"

Anna wriggled in defiance, lifting her reddened arm up for view. "Can you at least put something that _doesn't_ feel like you're setting my hand on fire? They're just scratches!"

The doctor chuckled darkly. "Not unless you want this thing to go septic."

"Huh?"

The doctor grinned manically behind his glasses, further increasing his resemblance to an oversized raptor. "Those 'little scratches' of yours will quickly change into... interesting shades of colors if left alone for too long." Twiddling his fingers, he added: "Yellows, purples, pinks and red, soon it would turn black and rot. You might as well be a walking corpse, filling the air you walk with the incredible stench of your pustule-riddled hand. You'd be bedridden from your own blood poisoning you. If you were ever to stand a chance at survival at that point, I would have to saw your infected arm of, and neither of us are too excited about that prospect. Isn't that right?"

The redhead merely stayed in her seat, open-mouthed and bug-eyed.

The doctor sighed to himself in satisfaction, and finished his procedure without further interruption. With deft hands, he quickly wrapped the Princess' arm in gauze. "Alright Your Highness, you're done! That wasn't too difficult, was it?" he remarked cheerily, patting the bandage. Standing up to gather his supplies, he hardly paid attention to the door creaking open behind him.

Anna immediately snapped out of her stupor. The newcomer could potentially be anyone, but she needed the news on how everyone else had been faring. Perhaps shamefully, she as hoping on the entrant being either Elsa or Kristoff; sure, she knew they were among those who'd collapsed at the very end of the Bergrisi's rampage, but there was nothing wrong with believing the two had woken up sometime while she was stuck in this room.

...Right?

A cold draft entered through the crack in the doorway, blowing in a few flakes of silvery powder. Anna coiled in her seat to pounce the newcomer...

...Only for the person to enter carrot nose-first, followed by the rest of his snowy body. The enchanted flurry Elsa had made for him enthusiastically followed the region above his head like a loyal pet. Olaf looked round curiously, noticed Anna, and grinned at her.

Anna pounced the snowman anyway.

"Whoa ho-ho! Hey there, Anna?" Olaf chortled with a wide grin. "What's up with you?"

The redhead squeezed tightly, burying her face into the little figure's shoulder. She could feel the snowflakes from his personal cloud land on her skin and settling in her hair. "I'm just glad to see you again..." she mumbled.

Olaf beamed, and wrapped his twig arms around Anna's body. "Yeah, I'm happy to see you too." He cocked his head to a side, and then asked, "Hey, did you hear all that ruckus going on beyond the castle walls? I was hanging out with Sven when I heard all those crashes outside. I tried asking some of the guards about it, but they seemed so hush-hush." He looked around conspiratorially, and leaned closer to Anna's ear. "I think they were trying to set fireworks without your knowledge."

"Olaf, I was there."

"Oh... right! So then, how did it go?"

Anna's mouth opened up to answer the question, her mind still fresh on the Bergrisi's last breath... and then her blue eyes flitted over to the sole window in the room. Sunlight no longer entered through its triangular frame, not that she expected anything to pierce through the smog plaguing the kingdom.

Night had fallen.

Everything... all the blood, sweat, tears and pain Anna and her friends had to go through... It was all for nothing.

The Princess shook her head violently, prompting a curious look from the little snow golem. _Keep it together, Anna. You're still alive and kicking, aren't you? You've come this far! Just because it's nighttime doesn't mean I should drop everything yet. Now think!_

"Okay..." Anna rubbed at her temples, and turned her attention back to the snowman. Steeling herself for the worst possible outcome, she squeezed her eyes close, and swallowed. "Olaf... how is Elsa and Kristoff?"

"Well! Uh... You know, they're alright...-ish?" he answered, making a so-so gesture. "I mean, they could be better, could be worse- no, wait..."

Anna blinked. It was an absurdly shoddy job on Olaf's part, but he was actually trying to dodge the question. The rarity of such a situation was setting alarm bells off the Princess' head. "Please Olaf, I must know how they are doing!"

The snowman held his hands out in front of him, panic beginning to touch the edges of his voice. Another rarity. "Anna, you should stay here and wait for the rest of your injuries to heal! You look pretty banged up, even in comparison to the others-"

"Olaf!"

The snowman smiled valiantly at Anna with reassurance, a grin as wide as his cheeks would let him. His left eye twitch maybe one too many times... three seconds passed in strained silence... and then Olaf completely broke down. His face fell in less than a second, and he let out a long deflated sigh that even caused the snow flurry to sag. Anna can count the number of times he looked _this _dejected with only one hand, and not even requiring that many fingers.

"Well... Helge is taking care of them. He woke up about half an hour ago, you know?" the snowman explained.

Anna nodded. "And?"

"He's working really, really hard right now, reading through books, muttering to himself, and generally just running all over the place. It's almost scary, they way he seemed to be so involved in... whatever he's doing."

Anna's entire body relaxed with a sigh. If that little troll was hard at work, all wasn't lost just yet. "Are... are _they _with him? Can I see them right now?"

"H-Hey!"

Anna and Olaf snapped their heads towards the outburst; the bespectacled, intimidating doctor had been listening in on the conversation between the Princess and the little snow abomination out of curiosity, but only at this moment chosen to speak up. "Your Highness, shouldn't you be getting yourself a proper rest!?"

Anna raised her hands up in protest. "It's only for a little bit, Mister. I'll be back soon, honest! I just need to stretch my legs out for a bit." Averting her eyes away from the man glaring daggers at her, she turned back to the little snowman. "Show me the way, pleae."

Olaf hopped once in place, saluting by digging his stick hand a little too deep into his forehead. "Right this way, Anna!"

* * *

><p><em>It would be horrible of me to leave my favorite assistant and her friends die, no?<em>

_Huh... you were right. We __do __need more people like her running around..._

_Why don't you come with me and have a listen?_

_Do you see how beautiful you are? How much courage and love you possess?_

_Elsa, look out!_

_..._

Elsa didn't really know how long she had slept, how much time had passed until she finally regained consciousness. A scrambled mess of voices and images buzzed beneath her closed eyelids, playing confusedly over and over again before finally fading away like dying embers. The events that could have inspired them seemed to bizarre and unbelievable; pretending to be someone she's not? A giant monster? A rampaging ghost? But still... there was just something about these that kept her from assuming everything was just a vivid dream.

The platinum-blonde breathed in through her nose, slowly gathering her bearings. Elsa first gained awareness of the solid floor pressing against her head and backside, which was a little odd considering how comfortable her body felt right now. Elsa felt so relaxed in fact, she was in half a mind to just nod off once more. Besides, she couldn't detect anyone else in the-

"...Hehahaha!"

...same room.

_I may be imagining things, but was that... a child laughing?_

_..._

Nobody answered her back.

The ensuing silence bothered the platinum-blonde a little more than she liked. This entire atmosphere was missing something, and her sense of loneliness compounded into something that was almost as tangible as it was terrifying. Unnerved, Elsa peeled her eyes open, and promptly gasped.

She was staring at a ceiling. _Her_ ceiling. The one in her bedroom, with its rows of wooden support beams and floral patterns faintly carved into the edges. The one that she'd accustomed herself to viewing for years all by herself, especially on nights when the window bathed everything in blue tints just like right now. She could even identify the one spot where no source of light could ever fully touch, a blotchy mass of shadows sitting all the way at the top.

_Heh... how long has it been since I would spend countless hours just lying here on the floor, trying to entertain myself? _Elsa wondered nostalgically. _Several days? It _had _to be at least a couple weeks, I'm sure. _She smiled a little to herself. _ I guess I have to thank Anna and the rest for making me forget._

_...Anna and the rest..._

_...Anna!_

Elsa's heart raced, and her breath shortened - memories of the recent past started to enter like torrential water gushing through open floodgates. Earsplitting noises, crashes, horrid screams rattled against the inside of her skull. Dull aches, echoes of the injuries she sustained in that battle, throbbed and burned. Her chest in particular felt like someone had slammed it with a piercingly hot iron weight, rendering her incapable of movement. Unable to do anything else, she filled her ears with questions as she furtively twitched her eyes left and right, desperate to find something, anything to get herself out of this plight: _How long was I asleep? Is it too late? Who carried me to my room?_

A sudden burst of logic made the platinum-blonde shudder._ If I was taken here... then why would I be lying on the floor, instead of placed on the bed?_

"Having fun yet?"

Elsa's eyebrows shot upwards, and she turned her head towards the source of the voice. Somebody sat on the couch besides her triangular window, a small and darkly blue silhouette that could have belonged to a child. At least, that was what Elsa initially thought: the platinum-blonde blinked once, and then it was clear this person was really a full-grown woman. She had her back turned away, and quietly stared out the glass. Grey light from the outside pooled onto the floor like a spill, clashing drastically against the rest of Elsa's vividly-colored bedroom. Elsa could have sworn its boundaries flickered back and forth in the vein as a candle flame, as if it was eager to consume more space and take over.

"I suppose you need a little help." said the voice.

"U-um..." Elsa sighed. She didn't have much of a choice. "Yeah, I do. Please help me up."

Strong, cold fingers clasped around her wrist, yanking it and the rest of her body up as if she was as light as a feather. Elsa staggered as her feet hit the floor, feeling a little weak on the knees as she patted her clothes. "Thank you-"

"-No need to thank me, Elsa. I'm just doing my job."

Elsa jolted, her ears prickling something fierce. How did she not catch it the first two times?

_..._

Still quiet. Elsa shot another glance at this stranger to glean more details: A slim figure, a simple dress and jacket, and hair that flowed freely down her back. That was all she could catch, as every other detail was lost to the darkness.

However, there was only one single problem Elsa found with this observation: This room was entirely well-lit.

Elsa' stomach dropped. Her brain quickly went through what must be a laundry list of explanations, some of them regarding possible illusions, an overly tired brain, an assassin, yet _another _monster, or worse... the Spøkelse himself. "W-who are you?" she stammered, quickly lifting her hand up like one would lift a pistol. "What are you!?"

The shadowed creature didn't move a bit. Elsa willed cold mist to emanate from her fingertips to show she meant business... and found nothing at all. No power, no sensation no anything. There wasn't any interference with the process. She wasn't weakened at all. The magic was simply _gone._

"Hey, hey! Are you as trigger-happy as you are rude?" the mysterious person snapped. "Not that it matters much. Your ice isn't going to work here."

_Wait, what? _"I just-... look, what is going on here!?" Elsa implored. Her head was hurting badly now, sending panicked signals with every hastened heartbeat like a metronome against her skull. "How are you doing all of this-... this darkness thing? Why won't my magic work? Why am I here? How do you know my name? _Why do you have my voice?"_

At first, the lithe figure didn't say anything. She released her grip Elsa's hand, and flicked her wrist in a casually dismissive manner - tendrils of black started to peel away, starting from the hem of her dress up. The platinum-blonde watched in bewilderment as they faded away into nothingness, replaced by the color hiding underneath. "You're sharper than I thought... but I suppose I should have known that best." the woman commented. When she spoke this time, her voice-... _Elsa's_ voice sounded like it was echoing inside an empty chamber. "I take that you want some clarification, right?"

Elsa thought she saw unintelligible faces swimming among the floating shadows, but she didn't dare come closer to investigate. The platinum-blonde shakily nodded.

"Heh, very well!" More and more shadows stripped themselves from the entity, unveiling the flowing bottom half of her simple, but elegantly-patterned dress. "I am the ever-faithful, the one always standing by your side, the one whispering things behind your back..."

Countless little crystals shone on the lady's bodice like little stars, and Elsa could now spot a flash of pale skin on her collar. "I am what could have been, what should have been, and what could possibly be. I am what makes you strong, I am what keeps you from your potential. I am your second opinion, your voice of reason. I am me, and most importantly..." the lady abruptly brought herself closer to Elsa's face, allowing the Snow Queen to see every little detail of her own: dark eyebrows, nearly invisible freckles that sprinkled her nose, platinum-blonde hair that flowed and fell unbridled... and a piercing, icy gaze so blue, the effect stunned the other like electricity. "I am you."

"I-impossible..." Elsa croaked.

"Impossible?" the other Elsa scoffed. "Like how you could conjure up the powers of winter at your own whimsy? Impossible, like how you were able to freeze over an entire kingdom with just one passing glance? Impossible, like how after thirteen whole years you were still able to crawl out of your room and find people who were willing to accept you?"

"But... but if I'm talking to myself... wait, you're the one who keeps arguing with me this whole time!?" Elsa stepped away from the double and clutched at her head, staggering until she hit a wall. "I really have gone mad."

"Hey, at least lighten up on your self-deprecation, okay? What you say to yourself applies to me as well." The not-quite Elsa brushed a long lock of hair behind her shoulder, and then crossed her arms in a fashion the Queen herself would have certainly taken countless times before. "And... well, being forced to double-time as your imaginary friend was uncreative of you, but you aren't exactly crazy."

Elsa bit the bottom of her lip, and began to play with her own hair nervously. "...What is your name then?"

The duplicate raised a dark eyebrow. "Elsa."

But... that's my name." Elsa mumbled.

"That never stopped anyone in the whole world from ever having the same name, you know. Like it or not, my name is still Elsa." Elsa shot back. Still, the platinum-blonde looked up at the ceiling in thought, clearly taking Elsa's words in consideration. After a few seconds of musing, her face lit up. "How about one of us change our names for the time being? That way, nobody gets confused."

Elsa gave some thought of her own, and admitted: "That's... actually a pretty good idea."

"Great! So, what name do you wanna pick for now?" Elsa asked.

Elsa sighed moodily. "I don't know... I'm just not fond too fond of being 'Elizabeth' at the moment."

"Neither am I." Elsa agreed. "I mean, I guess one of us can take 'Ellie' as a moniker, but I don't think I should be the one to change my name."

"But aren't I the real Elsa?" Elsa asked.

Elsa's left eye twitched. "So?" she said, her tone becoming a little serrated. "I'm as real as you are. In fact, I'm the 'Elsa' who's making sure 'Elsa' isn't going around making a fool of herself."

"But I'm still the 'Elsa' that has to walk around and make all the choices!"

"Elsa, it is just a name!"

"So why don't you change it, Elsa?"

The two Elsa's stared at each other in silent, both sets of cheeks turning a bright pink. Elsa was beginning to see red, and it was taking some considerable willpower not to simply tear her braid off in frustration. Of all the things she'd ever fantasize, she'd never imagine she would be in a heated argument with herself.

Still, now that she was giving it some thought... she was being the stubborn one after all. It's embarrassing, really. Sighing in disappointment at herself, she broke off her glare and crossed her arms. "Alright... I'll do it."

The Elsa with the loose hair blinked in surprise. "Wait, what?"

"I'll do it. It was immature of me, and I'm sorry for that. You can call me whatever you want. I won't stop you."

The other Elsa tilted her head with a peculiar look on her face, like a child hearing words she didn't quite understand. "You would... you would really do that? For me?"

At least the situation was visibly diffusing. "Sure." Elsa shrugged.

"That's... that's... I mean, are you sure-" The other Elsa shook her head violently. "You know what? Never mind. I'll take another name, you stay as Elsa."

"But I thought-"

"Don't worry your pretty little head over it, Elsa. You saw for yourself that keeping this going is confusing enough as it is." The other-Elsa raised her blue eyes up to the rooftop and stayed quiet for a second or two. Eventually, she looked back down with a little smile on her face. "From now on, just call me 'Ellie'."

It was Elsa's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Seriously?" A whopper of a headache was coming along nicely thanks this series of bizarre events.

"So, finally got it through that head of yours, then?" Ellie casually asked. With a snap of her fingers, a table made of polished wood emerged from the floor, followed by two chairs placed on opposite ends, each painted with patterns commonly found on Arendelle Palace furniture. "Have a seat, Elsa. I'm obligated to tell you everything you need to know, lest you end up making a mess of everything."

Elsa blinked, but she seated herself without much protest. Coughing once to clear her throat, she forced herself to focus on those uncanny pair of blue eyes; it was akin to talking face-to-face with a mirror. "Um... what is going on, exactly? Is this really my room? Or is this all a dream? Is that why I can't use my magic?"

The free-haired platinum-blonde pursed her lips. "Well... yes. Yes, and no."

"What do you mean?"

"A dream would imply that all of this is just your imagination stringing random thoughts and memories, with no impact on reality whatsoever." Ellie scratched her head, a slightly annoyed expression on her face. "This isn't actually your room, I can give you that. You see that there portrait in the back?" Ellie jabbed a thumb behind her: Where there used to be a sizable portrait depicting Elsa's father and the late King of Arendelle, was replaced with a portrait of Elsa herself, coronation outfit and all. "Let me warn you though, you aren't dreaming. This is as real as it can get."

Elsa nodded, but the fresh implications running across her head were troubling. "Are you saying that I'm currently inside my own head? Like... like the center of my mind or something?"

"Yep."

"Then... doesn't that give me control over this place? Can't I just wake up by myself?"

"No."

Elsa's left eye twitched. She was not in the mood to be delayed any longer, even if this was a literal case of arguing with herself. A small part of her felt guilty for being this heated, but there was literally no time left to spare. She needed to leave, now. "So why not?"

"Your mind's currently in a weird state, Elsa. You wouldn't be able to leave this place if you tried."

The more she was figuring out about this mental world thing, the more the platinum-blonde was feeling terribly distressed. Ellie was not improving factors either; it was just so strange seeing a mirror duplicate of herself talking and breathing independently, as every bit alive as she was. This latest tidbit was probably the worst of all: She couldn't be in an enchanted sleep, right? Maybe this is the kind of thing the Spøkelse's victims experience through. If that was the case, then... she wouldn't know what to do.

Ellie seemed to have read her mind, although it might be simply because the worry was written all over Elsa's face. "It's nothing like that, Elsa. I can actually get you out of this place once I deem it necessary."

Elsa patted her chest, exhaling out with relief. For a moment, she'd thought she would be stuck here forever. "I would kindly appreciate it, if you wake me up, please."

"Nope."

The air split apart with an abrupt bang: Elsa had stood up on her feet, knocking the chair a fair distance away with the sound of scraping wood. Both her palms were flat on the wooden table, and her face was flushed pink with blood. "What do you want with me, Ellie?"

Ellie did not seem to react. When she spoke however, there was a little shiver in her voice, like she was attempting to hold something raw backwards before it could blow over. "...Are you angry?"

"Yeah? Well you sure have a way to show it. I have to be stuck here, doing absolutely nothing while my kingdom falls apart! I don't know what's going on right now, I can't do anything about it, I don't even know if Anna and the rest of my friends are safe, and now you're telling me that you can help me escape, but you won't let me anyway? I'm sorry I am sounding like this, but I need to get out!"

Silence filled the entire room.

Elsa's chest swelled and deflated with every heavy breath. She was seeing red, and her body was shaking from the bundle of tense nerves threatening to snap. As she stared at the woman sitting from across the table, whose head was held downwards and face covered by her platinum-blonde hair, she was immediately stricken with the ever-familiar sensation of regret, followed by the equally familiar shame. "I-I'm sorry." Elsa mumbled, lowering herself back onto the chair. "That was... that was uncalled for, and I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's what I'd expected of you." Ellie muttered curtly.

Something had changed within the muse, and Elsa couldn't help but express alarm. "Excuse me?"

The platinum-blonde crossed her arms as if she was trying to carry herself. "You never really gave much consideration for how much you affect others, after all. 'Being stuck with you...' 'doing absolutely nothing...'" Ellie shivered once. "How long did you think I've been suffering this for?"

Elsa blinked. "Well-"

"Thirteen years. For thirteen years, you decided to uphold that stupid charade after the accident with Anna. Did you know how badly you hurt Mom and Dad?"

"Don't you dare bring them into this!" Elsa blurted.

You could have changed your mind, maybe talk more to those servants!" Ellie shouted back with matching volume. "You could have shared more than a word or two with Anna, or else your only family relationships wouldn't have been this messed up. You could have even went behind Father's wishes, I'm pretty sure even he and Mother wouldn't blame you for doing so! You certainly could have talked to them more, maybe even hug them! They certainly would have wanted it, I'm sure!"

"I-I..." The pain in Elsa's chest was beginning to worsen, and her head pounded erratically with stress. Dark thoughts started to pollute her mind, and it was a challenge just to keep her vision straight. She didn't know whether it was simply her being forced to face her own past again, or if it was actually the influence of someone who practically had her by the ropes.

"What did you do when you saw last saw them? What did you do?" Ellie hissed.

Elsa lowered her head.

"That's right. You _bowed_. You chose not to touch them! Maybe they weren't worth touching to you! I-I-..." "sniff" "I miss them so badly... We suffered through all those years... we couldn't even have a more ordinary, or even happy childhood... for more than half our entire lives, we hid in fear instead of actually living, all because you were so stubborn with your choices! How many times did Anna offer her love before she finally called it quits? How many times did you refuse to be touched by the hands that raised you since you were born?"

"It wasn't like that! I-I was a danger... I did what I had to do to protect others..."

"No, you did it because you were spineless." snapped Ellie, tears streaming down her face. A crack ran along her cheek and only seemed to spread further like a virulent spider-web, leaving behind fine traces of neatly-scarred skin. "Y-you had so many opportunities to back out, to reach out to others, and every single time I had to watch you reject them, watch you refuse to change at all! You wouldn't listen to yourself! Did you know how much that cost for me? For _us_?"

"I-I... I understand-"

"Understanding doesn't cut anything!" Ellie seethed. "It was thanks to you that we've turned out this way! You could have lived a life without fearing anyone or anything, but instead we're just scarred pieces of work who couldn't find happiness if it landed on our faces!"

"Ellie, I know what I have done!" Elsa exclaimed. "I'm not so deluded as to think I can just take back what we lost... but please, hear me out!"

"I DON'T CARE!"

The entire room groaned violently like a structure threatening to collapse at any second, and suddenly Elsa's ears burst with the sound of paper violently tearing itself to pieces. She clasped at her head to block the sound out, and twisted in pain as she spun... only to come face-to-face with a little girl. She had nigh-silver hair, a headband, a small outfit consisting of a blue jacket and a trimmed-dress, and blue, unblinking eyes that never strayed from the Queen's sight. She had not seen this person with such definition and... well, real-ness, in so long, so she reacted by bringing a hand up to her mouth.

For the first time in thirteen years, Elsa saw the spitting image of herself as a child. The little girl stood without moving in the slightest, with only a sad and pained expression drawn on her face. "I... never really got to grow up..."

Another roar of tearing paper. Elsa fought the urge to plug her ears, and whipped her head to the left - Another lady, full-grown this time, stood with eyes looking at the triangular window. She seemed to take more after a certain redhead's cheerful personality, and had the twin-plait hairstyle and the perpetual ghost of laughter to prove it. Even so, she wore a grim expression that Elsa was all too-familiar with, having witnessed it in a mirror for years. "We could have been the talk of the town."

Another ear-splitting tear, another Elsa standing without further hint of arrival. This one almost a perfect copy to the real deal, but her hair was that of a brunette. The platinum-blonde nearly had a heart attack from such an appearance, and she had to remind herself repeatedly that whoever this person was, she wasn't actually Mother. "What was it like for them?" the reflection softly mused.

A wave of paper being torn to pieces resonated with enough intensity to match a crashing wave, and a teenage Elsa abruptly appeared on the other side of the room, leaning her back against the wall. "What could I have done before I slipped that one time?"

"I don't know-" Elsa began, but her voice was lost to the crashing wave of shredding parchment, followed by newer variants, differing reflections of the lady in blue, crowding the bedroom. Some only carried subtle differences, like a braid resting on the other shoulder, or skin tanned for a few too many seconds under the sun. Yet others were markedly unique: one looked rather mannish for a girl, another possessed jet-black hair as dark as obsidian, one malnourished-looking woman carried an old doll with her, another girl looked severely battered and bruised, and yet another possessed both a matronly face and a plump figure. Each and everyone of them spoke with a voice of unique inflections, characters, and pure emotion, which only mixed with each other to create something truly born of madness.

"I should have been there for Anna's adventures..."

"Have I made myself a fool in front of the others?"

"I don't need anyone to be happy."

"Was I ever friends with anyone?"

Everyone knows coconut shouldn't belong in candy."

"Do people think I am a funny person?"

"You can do this, Elsa."

"Mom and Dad don't exist anymore."

"What would my life be like without powers?"

"I am an awful daughter. An awful sister. An awful friend."

"Monster."

"I don't want my powers to be taken away from me!"

"I am free..."

"I am lost..."

"If I was like the rest of my family, how much would the lives of everyone else change?"

"Should I have been born?"

"What could have been..."

"What should have been..."

What could be..."

Even though these reflections spoke in different voices and pitches, some whispering, others singing, a couple screaming, every single pair of eyes flashed in unison like cerulean stars. "What could have been... What should have been... What would be..." they chanted in dissonance.

"Stop!" Elsa backed herself against a wall and flitted her view in panic, feeling the reflections' icy blue gazes pierce her like cold spears. "Stop it!" In her haste to ward them away, to break herself away from them, she instinctively flung her hands out in front of her. Accidentally, she snapped a hand too close to one duplicate Elsa... only for her fingers to slip through her face as if she was never there. The copy's image fluctuated and fuzzed with the intensity of an unstable mirage, creating some sort of static _krrrkkrkrrrrr _sound, before reverting back to a realistic figure again.

_I-I can't touch them, I can't use magic on them..._

"WhatcouldhavebeenWhatshouldhavebeenWhatwouldbeWhatcouldhavebeenWhatshouldhavebeenWhatwouldbe -"

Elsa squeezed her eyes shut, desperately clinging onto this one idea that they would eventually go away... but nothing happened in the slightest. The horde of reflections only continued staring with their glacial blue eyes, their lips moving to form a discordant buzz.

_One... two... _the platinum-blonde thought to herself, desperately focusing on counting the beats of her heart. _Three... four..._

_...Twenty-one. _Elsa breathed long and slow to build her resolve up, and finally peeked one eye open: All the duplicate Elsa's were still standing, hardly moving even moving an inch from their original spot. The only difference was that they had stopped talking, probably in the middle of the platinum-blonde's counting, so instead they watched her in silence. Only the sound of hiccups and hobbled breathing occupied the room now, somewhere in the middle of this mess. Elsa swallowed, and stepped forward warily; the ones closest to her backed away.

As unsettling as they were, the reflections were never here to harm her.

Gaining fortitude, Elsa continued walking forward as more and more reflections stepped aside. After what felt like an eternity of feeling pressure from all directions, she finally entered the clearing where the table was, where the only other lady who was actually in her seat. No longer did Ellie carry that confident air: so many tears had dripped down her face, hands, and body, her clothes and skin looked as smooth and glossy as sculpted ice. It was almost as if she was actually melting...

Wait...

"Ellie, you're melting!"

The platinum-blonde flickered in much the same way like one of reflections previously met, complete with the sound of static. Before Elsa could stop her, Ellie collapsed onto the floor below and curled within herself, a human tortoise trying to isolate itself from the outside world. Fine, spidery lines continue to spread, and in some places chipped off into shards of ice. Her body continued to fluctuate as if she was the disturbed surface of a reflective pool.

"Ellie!" Elsa quickly approached her subconscious and dropped to her knees by her side, surrounded by the reflections who now focused their stares on the two. She paid little attention to them now - she didn't really understand if they were simply illusions, or if they were genuine aspects of her, maybe even split from the original muse. It didn't matter anyway; Elsa wrapped her arms around Ellie's body, and squeezed tightly.

And just like that, the reflections vanished. There was no drama, no flair, not even a whisper or a flicker. They simply disappeared without a trace.

Ellie's body felt oddly small under Elsa's embrace. The girl within shivered a little, and she turned her head to peek a damp eye up at the platinum-blonde. "W-what are you doing?" she asked.

Elsa rested her head against the girl's cool body. "Something I should have done when I first saw you. I know what had happened in the past, and I... I will never forget my mistakes."

Ellie didn't say anything, but the wet spot on the floor seemed to spread even further.

"I know I can never fix what I've done in the past, and I'd be an idiot for trying to gain it back. I thought about what you were saying... and realized quite a lot about you."

"..."

"What was lost is lost, but you don't have to focus on Mom and Dad anymore. You don't have to keep the pain of isolation so close to your heart. Over these past three weeks, and these couple of days in particular, I've seen a lot things, and learned so much. It's true, I never got a childhood, and I was a lousy excuse to my sister... but you know what? I still have a lot ahead of me. So do you, and you know that."

When Ellie finally lifted her face to look at Elsa in the eye, she wasn't a near-perfect mirror of the Queen anymore; cradled within the platinum-blonde's arms now was simply an eight-year old girl in blue, with teary eyes and an honest look full of hope. "Y-you think so?"

"You seemed pretty casual about the Spøkelse so far. With that vote of confidence, I'm pretty sure we'll make it in the end." Elsa lifted a tuft of the child's silvery hair, idling twirling it around her fingers as she gazed out of the triangular window. Her chest felt warm now, and she smiled gently with the memories she now carried within. "You must be so lonely staying here, dealing with someone like me for so long... and I am truly grateful for that." Elsa smiled a little and leaned closer. "I wasn't able to catch it before, but now I know you truly do care. But we have Anna now! And friends! It isn't everything we wanted just yet, but it's a start. Do you know what I mean?"

A bit of snot dribbled down from Ellie's nose. A little embarrassed, the child wiped her face dry with her sleeve before dipping her head up and down.

Elsa beamed. "That's better. And you know what?" She leaned in closer, and whispered softly into the the little girl's ear. "You're a better person than anyone gives credit for. If we could ever trade places, I bet you could have done a better job than me."

Ellie blinked a couple of times, wiping her face dry with the front of her dress. A suspiciously wide grin soon spread on her own face, and she drummed her fingers together with cunning in her diabolical eyes. "You know... we can do that right now. It wouldn't be too hard."

Elsa sputtered at these words, too scrambled in the head to come up with a proper response. Much to her confusion though, Ellie immediately doubled over in a fit of giggles, covering her mouth with the tips of her hands. The older of the two pouted indignantly, determined to show just how awful such a joke was. Even so, the little girl's cheer was infectious, and soon even Elsa broke into giggles of her own. By the time the laughter ended, both platinum-blondes faced each other with warm affection in their eyes.

Ellie was the first to stand back up on her feet. With a serious look on her face, she said: "Look, I've said some things-"

No no," Elsa protested, standing up. "You shouldn't apologize to me-"

"Actually, Elsa, I do." Ellie tucked in her chin, hid her hands behind her back, and looked away, completely scarlet in her cheeks. With the body and stature of an eight-year old, she looked positively adorable. "When I was talking during that mess... well, not a lot of people get to take all of this 'introspection' stuff literally. I guess I got too excited, and should have taken it easier with you." She smiled a toothy grin. "For everything I've blamed you for, I'm actually glad that you're the one running the show. You're alright." Ellie approached the lady in the snow gown, and wrapped her arms tightly around her waist. "I think we'll be alright."

"...Yeah."

For the first time in a while, the bedroom was at complete peace and tranquility, with the two girls holding each other at the very center. Eventually though, Ellie was the first to break off; she raised her arms up at Elsa and waggled her fingers, displaying a somewhat pleading look on her face.

"Aren't you a little too old for this sort of thing?" Elsa teased in a cutesy tone. Nevertheless, she hoisted Ellie up, letting the child seat herself on the lady's crossed arms and hang an arm off the back of her neck. She nestled herself against the platinum-blonde further, making herself comfortable. Elsa didn't mind; the child was lighter than she appeared.

"...You wanted to know why I was keeping you here, right?" Ellie quietly asked.

Elsa's eyes widened. "Well... now that you've mentioned it, yeah."

The girl nodded seriously, and looked deep and hard into Elsa's eyes. "I going to give it to you straight, alright?"

Elsa nodded.

"Okay then, here we go..." the silver-haired girl visibly braced herself, tensing her body up and squeezing her eyes shut. "Elsa, the Spøkelse Holmgeirr is currently invading the rest of your head."

Elsa had expected a lot of things at this point. Strange happenings, supernatural events, bizarre explanations, and experiences such as... this. She was quite prepared for the worst, and even then she was surprised by how _little_ a reaction she was giving in light of this. Granted, the tell-tale icy pit in her stomach and the chills came, but it wasn't enough that she would end up dropping Ellie out of shock. Puzzled, she raked through her memories, and quickly found the answer. "It was the spear, wasn't it?" Elsa asked seriously.

"Yeah... that mental attack knocked you out pretty good. And before you ask, everyone else should be in a safer position than us two." The girl pointed towards the window, where the grey light had been continuously shining through as if it was trying to envelop the entire cerulean bedroom in grey, with little success. "It's weird, really: This guy simply won't let us go, or else it would have been safe for me to let you free. I had to drag us to the very center of your mind, or else he would have been able to spy on this conversation along with your memories."

"M-my memories?" Elsa swallowed. "...But doesn't that mean we have lost?"

The girl flashed an assuring grin. "As long as he is busy, he can't do much of anything."

Elsa nodded. "I see... So how long must I stay here?"

"We're going to weather him out: The moment he stops the assault, you'll be whisked back into the real world. I know it isn't perfect, and everyone we know are still in a lot of danger, but it's the best I can do."

Elsa continued to stare at the triangular window in thought; upon closer observation, the it looks as if the entire world outside was covered in the same grey, innocuous-looking mist that had pervaded the whole kingdom today. The fog shifted lazily, deceiving its true and malevolent purposes. With that in mind, she hobbled over to the large bed, and settled Ellie down before taking the spot next to her. "There isn't really much we could do, is there?"

To her great surprise, Ellie immediately perked up with a twinkle in her blue eyes. "That would be if you consider 'waiting' to mean 'doing absolutely nothing'. You're giving me too little credit here, Elsa." The child stretched her arms out spread-eagle and grinned from ear-to-ear. "We're in the center of your mind! Guess what we can do here!"

"Um... build castles out of mental blocks?"

Ellie wrinkled herself into a rather impressive stink-face, eliciting an amused laugh out of Elsa. "Awful pun notwithstanding, I, uh... I can't really do that. Frankly, I'm surprised you didn't immediately say it."

Elsa tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Oy..." Ellie bent down to rub long and slow at her own temples, appearing quite frustrated with Elsa's apparent ignorance. Finally though, she snapped back and hopped out of bed, grabbing Elsa's hand with both of her own. "Come with me, I want to show you something..." The little girl even giggled to herself as she pulled, dragging the platinum-blonde lady all the way to a drawer sitting by the side. Elsa merely frowned at the sight of the thing; this particular drawer - the real-world counterpart, of course - was delegated to the perfectly mundane task of storing undergarments and casual wear.

"Ready?" Ellie asked, brimming with excitement.

Elsa shrugged. "A drawer's a drawer."

The silver-haired girl stuck her tongue out in disapproval. Resting her hands on the wooden handle, she proceeded to pull it open with all the care and caution of some handling a very valuable, very mysterious vault. She was practically shining with pride as she flourished a hand out to Elsa. "Go on, then. Have a look."

Elsa bent over to take a peek, holding her breath just in case if it really was going to be spectacular... and promptly defaulted to a deadpan expression.

There was nothing inside except for a neatly-sorted array of keys. Some of them were of different colors and decorations, making the overall effect akin to an oversized toy set. Elsa raised a dark eyebrow at her muse and crossed her arms, waiting for the girl to provide an answer.

Ellie sighed long and low, grumbling with all the impatience of an immature child. "I mean, that's alright and all, but maybe if you allowed yourself to be a bit more excited... I mean, it kind of stings... okay, I admit it. That was pretty lousy." She gingerly reached a hand inside to pull one out, careful not to touch any of the keys carelessly. When she finally grasped the one she'd been looking for, she raised it up for Elsa to see its metallic sheen and floral carvings. "Well?" she asked excitedly. "What are you waiting for? Touch it!"

Still confused about all this enthusiasm, Elsa decided that she might as well just buy into the act a little. She raised a hand to the key, tapped it with her knuckles-

The entire room flashed white as it buzzed with indistinguishable words, and her nose stung from a surprise scent out of nowhere. Her tongue felt like it had been drenched for hours in bitter tea leaves. Abrupt heat and lightning coursed across her entire body, starting from her hand and running down to her toes, flaring up in intensity every time her heart pumped. The shock was so intense, it was enough numb her mind and make her muscles involuntarily spasm. For a second or two, she even forgot how to breathe.

And yet... as powerful as these sensations driving her head into overdrive were, they weren't entirely unpleasant. In fact, the situation was comparable to entering a hot bath without getting used to the temperature first. Once she properly prepared herself, a lot of things were made clearer to the platinum-blonde: The words echoing inside the bedroom was revealed to have belonged to one voice, a voice that was equal parts unfamiliar and nostalgic. If it weren't for panic taking the edge off, Elsa's body would have kept on tingling delightfully. Staring open-mouthed at Ellie and her key, she rubbed at her knuckles, only to feel nothing at all. "W-what was that!?"

""Shh... you didn't really have it _that_ bad, you just weren't prepared for it. This way!" The little girl skipped away with the key on hand, quickly approaching the bedroom door. Elsa followed along, watching with curiosity as the girl inserted it into keyhole. "Ready?"

Well, at least this time Elsa had the good sense to brace herself. She nodded.

Ellie turned the key in place-

* * *

><p>"Who's a good girl?" cooed a familiar voice.<p>

Elsa giggled, covering her eyes with chubby fingers. Even though her gums were hurting sorely from a loose baby tooth, the sight of Gerda was enough to make her forget all that was wrong with the world. Now, all she wanted was another person to play with.

Feeling soft, gentle hands wrap around her body like a blanket given life, Elsa immediately smelled the lady's floral perfume that was so dissimilar to Mama or Papa's. Basking in the warmth of her embrace, the toddler pressed her lips against Gerda's cheek, much to the young maidservant's delight.

* * *

><p>Elsa staggered backwards from the door, rubbing a temple out of disorientation. "That was... that was Gerda..."<p>

"Yep!" Ellie chirped. She raised the key up to eye level, and tapped on the round end. "It even says so on the label."

"It's amazing!" Elsa exclaimed, completely out of breath. "I mean, what are these key things exactly? How were they able to access my memories?"

"Ah-ha! Now you're starting to talk on the same level, Elsa!" Ellie paced back to the drawer, and pulled out yet another key. "What you just experienced was your link between you and another person, the one in question being Gerda. I came up with the idea of storing them under lock and key, cause... well, it felt appropriate at the time."

The girl held up the two keys, one on each hand, for the lady to see; the one that didn't belong to Gerda was relatively smaller in size, and was less decorated with patterns or trinkets. "Their size at the start varies on how much you have in common with other people, and most of them are simply scrapped because it would just take up space. If you keep maintaining your trust with someone though, their respective key will only grow. This one for example..." she wiggled the smaller one, "it belongs to the servant who loaned you her clothes this morning. It's not as big because she doesn't connect with you as much as Gerda, but that can change if you want it."

"Incredible..." Elsa's dark eyebrows shot upwards, and she fearfully turned back to the bedroom. "But wait, doesn't that mean the Spøkelse can get inside from there?"

For a brief moment, Ellie looked just as troubled by the thought as Elsa... but then she shook her head and resumed smiling. "I'll know."

"Alright then..." Elsa said cautiously. Her blue eyes flitted back to the wondrous drawer of keys, and her heart rate started to increase. "Say..." she tried to voice casually, although the frog in her throat was converting her words into croaks instead. "Can I see... you know... show them to me?"

Ellie didn't need any further explanation to understand. "Sure." With a professional atmosphere that did not match all with her little body, Ellie carefully closed the drawer, only to open another one at the very bottom. She pulled one out, a sizably silver thing with a wood trim, and a cute tuft of reindeer fur tied around the end. Elsa didn't even need a second to guess exactly who it belonged to.

"Yep, it's already getting this big. Good for you, Elsa." Ellie commented affectionately, swelling with pride. Once again, she reached inside the drawer, and pulled out yet another.

Elsa briefly forgot to breathe again.

With a golden shine and engraved pink and green flower embroideries, the key should have been kept inside a secure vault than a clothes drawer as simple as this. Childish writing was etched into its flat end, but in Elsa's eyes it only complemented the rosemaeling to make something truly unique and special. It could have been a perfect work of art made of pure joy solidified into metal, if it weren't for a forlorn crack running across the its body. It might have been bent out of shape in the past, leaving behind a scar. When Ellie rested it onto the Queen's hand it was like holding a small flame that sent warm pulses down her arms. "A-... A-ann..."

"Yep... that's hers." Ellie guiltily looked down on the floor and played with her hair. "Those years when you-... _we_ made that choice, that happened. Don't worry, it works just as well nowadays. I am still not able to erase the evidence though and fix up perfectly-"

Elsa threw her arms around the girl, cutting her tirade short. "It's wonderful, Ellie. Thank you."

"N-not problem..." Ellie blushed furiously in light of Elsa's gratitude. "Not a problem at all."

Elsa desperately wanted to see for herself, to review those years back when she was a happy child who played alongside with Anna practically every day. And yet, in the middle of her contemplation, seeing her own, smiling face reflecting back on the golden key, a single thought bloomed in her mind: She didn't actually need to review her early childhood. She and Anna had already agreed to turn a new leaf, to make memories of their own...

...What she really needed is closure. Elsa's eyes flicked to the portrait in this mental room, the one portraying herself instead of her father.

"Ellie... I want to see them. I want to see Mother and Father again."

The little girl snapped her fingers with that moment of brilliance, her eyes shining enthusiastically like bright blue stars. She looked so excited, Elsa initially pegged her as someone trying too hard to imitate Olaf's perpetual glee. "Oh... right! Of course! How could we have forgotten?" She made a dash for the drawer once more, sifting through her keys with such joy-

The little girl froze. Ellie's face, which had little color in it in the first place, was absolutely drained of all blood. Her hair stood on end, and her body shivered intensely from the head down to her toes. She winced, almost as if she forcing herself to touch something revolting and sickening, like rotted fish, putrid ooze, or something so virulent even gazing upon it for too long will contract a severe illness.

"Elsa... look." Ellie breathed. She pulled the offending object up.

It was an malformed key unlike any Elsa had seen: The others had been beautiful in their own way, lovingly crafted by someone who truly hoped to make them timeless pieces of art. This one was made of iron that was so rusted, dark little pieces fell off like soot. Its teeth were jagged enough to cut like a saw if applied to a solid surface, and the name written upon it had been almost complete scratched out angrily with something sharp. Elsa's eyes can just barely make out "l", "g", and "r" among the mess.

_...l...g...r..._

_Holmgeirr._

* * *

><p><strong><em>"Just remember, when a dream appears... <em>****_You belong to me~!"_**

* * *

><p><strong>Questions? Thoughts? Theories? You can either share them with me, ask on my Tumblr, or post them as a review below. Or we could just shamelessly eat candy in spite of the disapproving stares of our peers.<strong>

**See you guys soon, fans of _Frozen, _and have a Happy Halloween.**


	25. Apologies

No Escape from Reality

a.k.a. No Need for Sympathy

* * *

><p>For those of you who still remember who I am and what I do, let me set things straight: <strong>This series, as of now, is on an indefinite hiatus. <strong>

This would make this the third self-published work I ever managed to get off the ground, only for the enthusiasm to slow down and die off. I guess there are many factors to blame, like the fact that I'm not really cut out for the college life as it turns out (not that I was kicked out, but my brother has been keeping track of my gray hairs), procrastination, bad habits, lack of attention, and simple fandom burnout. Story-wise, I can't even bear to look at this work anymore. I'm sure many of you can sympathize I've lost track of all my threads, and the next few chapters would have requested an intense, aggressive mindset that I just can't bring up anymore. If I came back to this as of now, it would just feel... dead. Like (insert your hated TV show here), who refuses to quit while it was still ahead. In other words, this kind of story-driven writing is ultimately not something I can maintain for long, and it's real depressing to admit that. I've invested too much into this, and I can't even finish it for the rest of you guys.

Does this mean I'll be gone forever?

Actually... I have some news to announce. For months, I've been thinking up a series that I _can_ maintain, one that still involves little ol' Elsa. I like her too much for my own good.

Anyway, the story. Well... on paper it will sound a lot like Enchanted (the one about a Disney Girl adjusting to New York). That is where the similarities end.

In reality, what I'm doing is dropping the platinum-blondie into a crass sci-fi action/slice-of-life story. Not an Alternate Universe fic, goodness no. I'm dropping the big fish of the pond right into an ocean. With smartphones. And robots. And eldritch wonders. And seven-feet tall college girls. Maybe even dinosaurs, depending on how far-fetched I want this thing to be. Hopefully I'm not accidentally writing a superhero story, because that is not what I'm aiming for.

Look, I'm trying to revive a premise that got me writing in the first place, and unlike _Have Courage, Elsa_, my love for it has never vanished. Just look at my avatar and images in my now-defunct Tumblr for proof. Even better, most of it will be written in mostly-stand-alone vignettes, so if I were to stop writing again, I won't be leaving too much hanging like I did with this series.

Please understand that what I am going to write is going to be my thing, 100%. No pandering to anyone else whatsoever. It is up to you guys on whether to come along on this ride or not, and I really, really hope you do.

Before I say goodbye, check my Tumblr for real. I had comickergirl do something for me months ago for Christmas. I know I owe so much more to you guys than that, but it's what I have, and I hope it brightens your day just a little.

See you later.

-Chef Failure


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